


Love, Duty and Honour

by Prisioux



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Aegon is a Blackfyre, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Catelyn Stark sucks, Drama, F/M, Forbidden Love, Forced Marriage, Jon Snow is a Stark, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon Snow knows something, Loss of Virginity, May/December Relationship, Ned Stark has game, Not Fluff, Oral Sex, Taboo, The Author Regrets Nothing, Underage Sex, Vaginal Sex, daenerys has issues, jon snow has issues, ned has issues, no platonic relationships, not for everybody, people have sex here, pre marital sex, things happen fast here, this is not a deep study on ASOIAF
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2018-11-12 19:31:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 97,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11168601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisioux/pseuds/Prisioux
Summary: Eddard Stark crosses the Narrow Sea to Pentos to offer Ser Jorah Mormont a deal and to investigate some rumours.There he meets Daenerys Targaryen and attends her wedding to Khal Drogo.He helps her escape to Westeros, where he is bound to keep his promises and to reunite Daenerys with her last surviving family members, Jon Snow and Maester Aemon. It has sex, drama ( lots of it) and characters do make mistakes.Not a fluff piece.Alternative world where Daenerys crosses the narrow sea early on and some major events in Essos (birth of dragons for example) actually happens near The Wall, where magic is at its strongest.Joffrey is still a little shit; Sansa is naive, but learns her lessons early on; Catelyn is inept and her prejudices blind her; Arya is a tomboy, but like Sansa, she has to learn that the world is not black and white; Ned gets a little carried away with Dany; Daenerys runs from Drogo and is mentored by Ned.





	1. From Winterfell to Pentos: Eddard- Daenerys

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, what if the events started 2-3 years later than in Canon.
> 
> Here, Ned had become a bit disillusioned with Catelyn and is more aware of the political situation in the south. He is also more attentive to his children personalities and try his best to act accordingly.
> 
> The kids are, therefore, aged up, 2-3 years
> 
> Robb and Jon- 17 years  
> Daenerys-15 years  
> Sansa- 14 years  
> Arya- 12 years  
> Bradon-11 years  
> Rickon-6 years

Lord Eddard Stark duties would sometimes take him away from Winterfell, but never as far as this time. He has to go to Pentos himself and judge the situation personally ; there are important matters in that Free City that require not only his full attention, but also total secrecy. Ned prayed he would make the right decision.

Ned had talked with his wife, Lady Catelyn about this trip, the reasons behind it and the implications and stressed that it was of vital importance to investigate some rumours Lord Manderly had heard about the disgraced Jorah Mormont. It would take time-perhaps as long as 6 moon turns- and Ned was to leave Catelyn in charge of Winterfell, which was to be expected. He tried to sound resolute and final, not leading any space for argumentations and further questions.

Lord Stark was, once again, keeping secrets.

Their marriage was not a love match, but affection and respect came with time. Catelyn was a beautiful woman and Eddard did eventually grow to love her in his calm, subdued way. However, they were very different from each other and her reaction to the news served only to remind Ned one more time how he had been right in not sharing with Catelyn the extent of his worries, how he could not completely trust her.

"He cannot stay here," Catelyn said. "He is your son, not mine. I will not have him."

 Eddard could feel the ice in her voice, the anger in her eyes. Yet, he could not take Jon with him on this trip; his mission in Essos was too delicate and dangerous, he would not be able to take care of Jon and keep his head on the job at the same time.

 Jon was his blood; Ned was to protect the boy at all costs. He concluded that the best course of action would be to send Jon to one of his bannermen for the time he would be absent. Perhaps a noble house, close enough to summon the boy back upon his return, would accept the charge without further delay?

 "Very well then. I am leaving tomorrow. There is not enough time to organize things properly and I will leave this matter in your hands, Catelyn. Jon is to be sent to a nearby castle to foster. It is a bit late now, however since you insist...find a suitable place for him, not that far from Winterfell. No Boltons, no Ryswells or any other family whose loyalties are dubious."

Eddard gave Catelyn and Maester Luwin a very detailed set of instructions on how to handle northern affairs in his absence and went to inform his children of his impending departure. He hoped Catelyn would not disappoint. She was good in managing the Keep and on the social aspects of noble life, but her advice sometimes had to be ignored, as she trusted too much in her southern education and relied too heavily on notions of property and moral that were alien to Eddard and his men.

Sansa was a thing of beauty and a lady through and through. She did not make many questions about the sudden trip, instead asking for as many gifts as possible. Ned realized that she was almost a woman, not yet flowered, but soon he would have to arrange a betrothal for her. Catelyn had raised her too southron for the North and it was no secret that Sansa expected to be sent away south of the Neck. Truth be told, Ned never really talked with his daughters and Sansa had sounded a bit too naive for her own good, but dutiful to a fault. He charged Sansa with being kinder to Arya and helping her mother care for the boys.

Arya was the exact opposite of Sansa and often reminded Ned of his sister, Lyanna, in her determination of doing things her way. Arya was very intent in going to Essos with her father and live an adventure. It took some time to convince her otherwise. Eddard made it seem like staying in Winterfell would be adventure enough; he did not ask much of Arya, except to try and find common ground with Sansa and protect her. Eddard knew Arya tended to see the world in terms of black and white, but she was a great judge of character.

Rickon, Bran and Robb were easier to talk to: Ned had only to remind the boys of their responsibilities and asked them to behave in his absence. Eddard also said his goodbyes to Theon, telling his ward to spend less time in the brothel and more time reading or in the company of Maester Luwin.

The hardest talk was with Jon. Eddard had to remind himself several times that bringing Jon to Winterfell had been the right choice; save Howland Reed, he could not have trusted anybody to raise Jon properly. Lord Reed was the only one who knew his reasons.

Jon took the impending separation the hardest and asked Ned to talk about his mother.

Ned said he would tell Jon all about his mother the next time they saw each other.

 

***

Lord Eddard Stark arrived at White Harbour and was received in the Merman's court with pomp by Lord Manderly, who informed him they had received a raven from King's Landing from Jon Arryn. Before departing, Ned had informed his former foster father of the trip to White Harbour. He felt guitly about ommiting the voyage to Pentos, but reasoned it would be a short trip and hoped no urgent matters would arise.

Ned was properly introduced to both Lord Manderly's granddaughters, and had to agree they would make suitable matches for his sons, but there were other things to be considered before a decision was to be made. After spending enough time feasting with Manderly and other bannermen, Ned excused himself and made to his rooms in order to read the letter.

And read the letter he did. At least three times, before the gravity of the news truly hit him.

Ned had become increasingly aware of the real situation inside the Red Keep in the last couple of years. It was no secret that Robert Baratheon was uninterested in running the country. After the Rebellion, Eddard had departed to the North and vowed to stay there, away from the game of thrones, the game that had killed half of his family. He was disgusted by the Lannisters savagery and disappointed in Robert.

Jon Arryn had to work very hard to keep that crown in Robert´s head and Ned felt the old man devotion to Robert was sometimes faltering. Lord Arryn was the one who drawed the terms of Robert´s alliance to the Lannisters and Ned could see that the old man regretted this step.

Therefore, to share his burden, a more often and frank correspondence had started, and it painted a terrible picture.

The only task Robert was expected to have an interest and perform as a King was the handling of most of the appointments, and in this he proved to be even greater  failure: the Riverlands and the North had been faithfully at his side since the onset of the Rebellio, and yet not even a war hero like Brynden Tully was offered a place in the Kingsguard. Instead, Robert saw fit to not only pardon, but to allow Jaime Lannister to keep his place. Lannisters had been opportunistic at best and were rewarded plentifully. Others, who had served Robert well and loyally, were alienated. Stannis Baratheon, his own brother, was an example of Robert´s tendency to surround himself with the worst: Stannis had almost starved to death at Storm's End and Robert had given the Stormlands to a child.

Jon Arryn wrote that Robert´s lack of interest for matters of State extended to his own family. The old man had made it clear that he pitied Westeros when Joffrey Baratheon was to ascend the Throne. Part of the blame, explained Jon, laid with Robert, a man who did not even know how many sons and daughter he had sired. Lord Arryn and Varys had to go about and provide for the education and well care of the king´s many bastards.

Eddard knew this all, but what Jon Arryn wrote changed everything.

Lord Arryn and Lord Stannis found out that the children of Cersei Lannister were not Robert´s. This would mean war, as Lord Lannister would dispute the claim. Jon Arryn was also convinced Robert was too proud to accept the truth and, if he did, he would be too furious to see reason. Therefore, Stannis and Jon Arryn decided it was best to show Cersei and the father of her children in action to both Tywin Lannister and Robert Baratheon, which would be a risky maneuver, but one that would possibly save thousands of lives.

Ideally, Lord Lannister would agree to their terms: forgiving the debt to Casterly Rock in exchange for the life of Jaime Lannister, who would be discharged of the Kingsguard; Cersei would have to admit to adultery and enter the silent sisters and her children would be raised as Hills.

Eddard shook his head. " Fools! This will never work. The war is already among us. Time to prepare for winter."

Alliances needed to be forged now, before truth would emerge. Robert had a dream of uniting Stark and Baratheon families through marriage. Eddard had to work fast to arrange betrothals to his children, engagements that would strengthen his House. Nonetheless, the happiness of his children would also be a consideration; Ned did not want them to suffer as the result of a bad choice.

The Reach would be the most important piece. Eddard knew that Lord Willas, the heir to Highgarden, was still unmarried. Sansa loved knights and songs and The Reach was the heart of chivalry. Willas was a good man, for what he had heard, but his leg had been crushed in one of those silly tournaments. Sansa would have to outgrow her naivety and care for an educated man with a physical deficiency. Eddard was not worried; he was sure she would thrive in The Reach.

Robb, his eldest, needed a northern bride. Lord Karstark was always too ambitious for his own good, but had a daugher of suitable age that Robb had already met. Eddard would prefer Wylla Manderly to be Robb´s bride, but some of his bannermen could take issue with a second Lady Stark in sucession being follower of the New Gods.

Eddard knew that Brandon dreamt of joining the Kingsguard, but his son was not talented enough in the martial arts. He was the right age for Stannis daughter, Shireen, however since she was her father´s heir and Stannis was one of the best commanders in the Seven kingdoms, it stood to reason he would want a more military apt match for his daughter and somebody that would agree to carry the name Baratheon if needed to be. Rickon was six, but had already started sword practice, showing great promise, and was clear he would grow to be a strong and fierce warrior. There was a 4 years difference between Rickon and Shireen, small enough not to be considered.

Eddard wrote letter proposing the betrothal of Sansa and Willas to the Tyrells and to Stannis offering Rickon as a possible match to Shireen and to foster in a couple of years. Rickon was still young and was not yet interested in girls, it would be easier for him to grow to love Shireen in time and disregard her scars before making the engagement official.

Arya needed more time to mature and learn. Eddard would talk to her upon his return and would search for a groom who would not expect Arya to be only the Lady of a Castle. Perhaps Dorne or maybe the Umbers?

The next day, Eddard also spoke to Manderley before offering Robb to Alys Karstark. Lord Manderly was searching for a second or third son of a suitable noble house for his heir, Wynafryd. However, she was 9 years older than Brandon and both agreed the fact could not be overlooked.

"Lord Stark, is Robb already betrothed? Why not consider my Wylla? She would make a good Lady of Winterfell!"

Eddard was taken by surprise by Lord Manderly's boldness, but he had to agree. He decided to be as bold as his host and tell the truth.

"Lord Manderly, nothing would bring me more joy than having Wylla as a Stark. However my bannermen took a while to accept a southerner who kept the new gods as their Lady . It is my wish to have Robb married into one of my bannermen and to have Brandon in the North to serve his brother when time comes. I am considering Lady Alys Karstark to Robb, Rickon is too young and he is probably going south. "

"Our Wylla respects the Old Gods and she would raise her children in the faith of their father, Lord Stark. Besides, Lord Karstark had sent ravens, perhaps it did not arrive on time as you are obviously unaware, but Alys is betrothed to the Hornwood heir."

 "It is settled then, Lord Manderly. "

 ***

As soon as the ravens were sent and negotiations started, Eddard prepared to cross the Narrow Sea. He instructed a very pleased Lord Manderly to keep his correspondence for when he was to return and not talk about his Liege whereabouts. He would then stay in White Harbour for as long as he could in order to close the deals regarding the Tyrells and Stannis Baratheon, as the ravens would arrive faster there than at Winterfell.

Eddard hoped to make official announcements regarding the betrothals  _before_ Tywin Lannister and Robert Baratheon would learn the truth. If something was to happen to Jon Arryn before Robert was to learn the truth, the King might insist to arrange a betrothal with one of Lannister´s children. Eddard prayed this would not come to pass, otherwise he would have to support Stannis in what would be another civil war.

The voyage itself was uneventful. Eddard was no Brandon the shipwrecked and had no love for the Sea. He mostly kept to himself during the crossing, absorbed in deep thoughts. Not that he became a hermit; as Lord of Winterfell, he came with guards and enough gold to be generous. He would drink, eat and talk with his own men and sometimes even with the crew, but Eddard would be the first to leave to his cabin and the last to emerge from it.

When Eddard was getting used to his routine aboard _The Winged Knight,_ he saw the massive, high walls and the many Towers of Pentos in the horizon. The weather was good, warm and friendly, a departure from the summer snows of The North.

There was no time to lose with sightseeing and after finding an inn in the city centre, but near enough the harbour, Eddard ventured out with a couple of his guards to the bazar. Luckily, Pentos was very close to King's Landing and there was a great deal of commerce between both cities, so a group of westerosi men was common enough to avoid curiosity.

Finding Jorah Mormont was faster than Eddard expected and for that he was thankful.

They sat in a tavern and spoke in the Common Tongue, Eddard´s guards nearby and watching the meeting closely.

"Why are you here, Lord Stark?"

"I should make the same question, Ser Jorah, but we both know you brought disgrace to your House and evaded Justice. As it happens, I also know why you are in Pentos and I want to make you a better offer than the one you received from King's Landing."

During their correspondence, Jon Arryn informed Eddard of Robert´s increased hostility towards the exiled Targaryen. The Hand of the King mentioned in passing they had a new spy in Pentos, apparently some northerner Varys was obviously not too keen in disclosing. It did not take long for Eddard to suspect it was Jorah Mormont. Once again, Robert was letting his ambitions get ahead of himself, trusting a man that should have been executed by none other than his supposed best friend for terrible crimes.

"They offered me a royal pardon, Lord Stark. I just have to inform them of the movements of the Targaryen Prince and I will be allowed to go home."

"You know, Ser Jorah, it is not as simple as that. Robert wants nothing more than to kill both Viserys and Daenerys; he might ask you to do the deed yourself. I would not be surprised. His Grace would be capable of such atrocity, I know the man, Ser Jorah. I do not want to believe you would be capable of murder, as I did not want to believe you were capable of selling poachers into slavery. For the love you bear your father, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I beg you to leave it all behind and come home with me. I will allow you to join your father at The Wall and he might even give your sword back. My brother Benjen serves under him; your father wishes you to clear your name. Your wife deserted you already; there is no place for you in Bear Island, but we still need man to guard The Wall."

Ser Jorah just stared at Lord Stark for a time, both men silent. Jorah drank more of his wine; Eddard thought the man was contemplating his options. " Lord Stark, I accept your offer, but not because I think it is a good or fair offer, only because you are right: there is nothing more left for me, here or anywhere. "

"Have you found the Targaryens, Ser Jorah? What do you know about them and their plans?"

" Yes, Princess Daenerys is about to marry a Dothraki horse lord I know. Drogo is his name, the bravest of Khals. The Targaryens have been staying with a merchant called Illyrio Mopatis, who brokered the deal. I was to enter their services after the wedding. Drogo has a manse in Pentos. The Magisters cannot afford to fight the Dothraki if they choose to raid the city, therefore they bribe them. The wedding should happen sometime between tomorrow or the day after. People in Pentos are getting worried about the Dothraki here for such a long time. The city guard has been doubled, but it should not be enough. Everyone is holding their breaths."

"Ser Jorah, I would like to meet them and attend the princess wedding, incognito. I want to judge for myself if His Grace is exaggerating the threat. We all know the Dothraki do not cross the sea, but such an alliance would be made for military purposes only."

 ***

Jorah Mormont took Eddard Stark and Jory Cassel to Khal Drogo Manse on the outskirts of Pentos, where a ceremony of introducing the bride to the groom would take place. The other guard would return to the Inn and inform the others of Eddard´s whereabouts.

Eddard and Jory would be presented to Khal Drogo as brothers, sellswords from the North called Jon and Jory Snow.

They arrived an hour later and entered the residence, passing through a hall where the Doom of Valyria was depicted in a mosaic of colored glass. The place was full with horse lords and dignitaries of all parts of Essos: Myr, Tyrosh and even Ibben. A fat red priest and a couple of men from the Summer Isles were also in attendance. Jorah played his part and introduced both men to Drogo, who nodded and spoke something in his tongue. He was an impressive man, Eddard would grant him that: tall, muscular, skin the colour of copper…

The wait was not long; Viserys, Magister Illyrio and the bride to be, Daenerys arrived.

Eddard noticed that Daenerys was looking with interest at their direction. Then he realized _he_ was staring at her. Strangely enough, the princess did not seem to be bothered by his gaze, which Eddard found it intriguing.

Daenerys was a very beautiful young woman, with the classic Targaryen looks. She was slim, without being skinny, and her breasts were proportional to her small frame, but enough to make her chest a sight worth the look. There was still some shynness and insecurity in her, but Daenerys looked and behaved as the woman she was. Perhaps it was the very revealing dress she was wearing, or the fact that Daenerys was the only woman in that room, but, whatever it might be, made Eddard admire Daenerys undeniable, breathtaking beauty with hungry eyes.

Viserys also had the Valyrian looks but he was a gaunt and nervous man, undoubtedly forcing Daenerys into this marriage. He was whispering something in her ear, and Eddard could swear there were tears in her eyes.

Magister Illyrio, a fat man who could barely move, introduced bride to groom and as soon as the ceremony started, it ended.

Viserys approached Ser Jorah to talk and Daenerys was by his side.

The princess then initiated conversation with Eddard.

" Magister Illyrio did not know who you are, but said you might be from Westeros. Is that true?"

"Yes, Princess. My name is Jon Snow and this is my brother, Jory. We contacted Ser Jorah and are between jobs. We are sellswords."

The scent of spices and incense was very strong and Eddard wished for some fresh air. However, he found himself immersed in Daenerys, who continued their conversation.

"Are you knights, as Ser Jorah?"

"No, Your Grace. We are from the north. There are northern knights, of course, but it is more of a southron tradition. "

 "What kind of surname is Snow?"

Jory briefly explained bastardy and how it worked in Westeros: bastards with at least one parent highborn were given general last names that would vary according to the regions they were raised.

"Oh, I see. Is there much prejudice against bastards?"

Eddard remembered that someone told him once the best way to tell lie was to base it on something true.

" I was raised with my legitimate half brothers and sisters because my mother died birthing me. My father´s wife was often less than kind; I don't remember her even addressing me by name, Your Grace."

"Stupid woman. You are not to blame, obviously. I know how it feels, to have someone have power over you and abuse it just because they feel afraid. It is not fair."

Daenerys sounded almost agitated, her expression telling Eddard she was talking about her own experiences with Viserys. He pitied her.

"You are too idealistic, princess. Highborn ladies are raised to expect their husbands to only provide for their bastards, not to be asked to raise them as their own."

"You were raised knowing your place, it is not like you are a threat to your trueborn siblings; it was an arranged marriage I suppose, so there was no love to be soiled by your father´s act. It is only natural she would love her children more, but to take revenge on a child just because she could not confront her husband was not very honourable. "

Viserys and Daenerys left no longer after and Eddard spent the rest of the night thinking about the conversation he had with Daenerys.

Much to his shame, he could not forget her eyes and the image of Daenerys, wearing the most revealing dress, her firm breasts almost visible, made Eddard lose his night of sleep.

***

After the meeting at Drogo´s manse, Magister Illyrio had sent a young woman named Doreah, a Lysenni bed warmer, to instruct Daenerys on the womanly arts of seduction. Viserys had made it clear he had personally approved the blue eyed girl. Braavos had forced Pentos to ban slavery, but Daenerys knew Magister Illyrio had his ways and Doreah most probably had no choice but to accept Viserys advances.

Daenerys went to bed as soon as she could and dreamt of dragons.

She was terrified when she woke up.

Then, Daenerys remembered that she was to be wed to a horse lord, and that terrified her even more.

She was carried in a palanquin to a field beyond the walls where the wedding was to take place, as the Dothraki believed that all things of importance in a man's life must be done beneath the open sky.

The whole affair was long and uncomfortable. She sat there and refused all the food she had been offered, her stomach turning at the sight of all that meat being consumed, the flies and insects flying around.

She saw her brother and Ser Jorah exchanging words, Viserys lashing out at the man they both barely knew.  

Nobody to talk to, Daenerys kept to herself, drinking honeyed wine. She looked around and noticed the man from the night before, Jon Snow. He must have been in his late thirties, a man hardened by battle, she could see. His eyes were grey and his face, solemn. Daenerys found herself strangely attracted to this man and would have enjoyed to continue the conversation they were having instead of just sitting there, trying her best to be strong, reminding herself she was blood of the dragon.

Daenerys witnessed a man get killed for the first time in her life and noticed how much it had pleased her Lord Husband. Magister Illyrio commented that a Dothraki wedding without at least three deaths would be deemed a dull affair.

The gifts were being offered to the bride and she had to refuse and give them to her husband, using the traditional words.

Ser Jorah Mormont came before her, offering books with histories and songs from the Seven Kingdoms, something Daenerys greatly appreciated. Jory and Jon Snow were next and gave her more books, but about the Northern Kingdom and Legends of Beyond The Wall. She thanked them profusely and vowed to read everything about their land.

Magister Illyrio had some men, slaves most probably, carry a beautifully carved box. Daenerys gasped when she opened it and saw three fossilized dragon eggs, the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Before long, Khal Drogo took her with him and consummated the marriage, mating with Daenerys in a rough, agressive fashion.

***

The Khalasar was to leave in two days after the ceremony and Lord Eddard decided to stay in Pentos until Daenerys was to go to Vaes Dothraki, the sacred city of the horse lords.

When Ned met Daenerys the morning after her wedding, she looked more pale than usual and could barely walk. He noticed as one of her maids had discreetly handed her a cup when the Dothraki guards were distracted.

It was something akin to moontea.

Daenerys asked a couple of questions to Ser Jorah, pertinent to her brothers plans and the actual state of Westeros politics. Mormont basically told her 10.00 screamers would not be enough to take the 7 Kingdoms, but perhaps loyalists would join their cause, if they could be persuaded.

Ned was very impressed by her innate intelligence and restraint. As far as he knew, Daenerys lacked proper education and was being told half truths about the Rebellion her whole life, but she was asking the right questions and even went as far as question why would Magister Illyrio be so interested in plotting for Targaryen Restoration.

"My brother wants to meet with the Khal and discuss their plans before we leave. Magister Illyrio asked him to be patient, it seems the Dothraki do things their own way. I am afraid this will not sit well with Viserys and he does not speak their language. Ser Jorah, could you try and find them? I will be busy organizing my things for the trip with my handmaidens and I am sure Viserys would need a translator of your skill. "

Ser Jorah and Jory went. Some Dothraki guards were attending to their Khaleesi and looked with suspicion to Ned and Daenerys speaking on the Common Tongue. Only Doreah, the Lysenni, would be able to understand them.

"Have you fought at the Rebellion, Ser?"

"Yes. The North supported Robert Baratheon, as you are aware, Your Grace."

"Viserys told me a she wolf seduced and bewitched our brother, Rhaegar and caused the war."

"What caused the war was the execution of Lord Stark, his heir and the heir to Lord Arryn at the Red Keep, without a trial and by extremely cruel means."

"What do you mean, without a trial? and cruel means?"

"Are you familiar with the concept of Trial by Combat? By the rules, King Aerys would have to accept the request, which was made, and choose one of his Kingsguard to fight for him. Yet, he chose _wildfire_ as his champion. It was a very gruesome death and The North and The Vale had to react."

Daenerys was silent for a few seconds, probably digesting the new information.

"I always felt there was some other cause to the Rebellion and now I understand why once loyal men would take arms against their rightful King. It does not make the usurper less than an usurper. Because of him, Princess Elia and her children died in the hands of Lannister´s monsters and dogs."

"You are right in that, princess. They were innocent children. Lord Tywin Lannister is nothing more than a butcher. They made a song about his _deeds_."

The hours passed by and there was no sign of Viserys, Illyrio, Drogo or Mormont. Daenerys knew something was wrong.

"We should go to Illyrio's manse. I will get my things."

They were escorted by the Dothraki guards and arrived shortly and found the manse empty, save for the servants, who knew nothing.

" Please, take a guard with you. I beg you, bring my brother and the Magister back to safety, if it is possible."

 

***

Daenerys heard distant screams, strange voices shouting in queer tongues and smelled the fire. She watched through the windows and what she saw was war: Dothraki screamers attacking and the city guard trying to defend themselves against the waves of horses coming again and again; women and children trying to run; buildings ablaze and red priests chanting.

The door opened: Ser Jorah, one of Illyrio's guards and Jon were helping the Magister to walk. Daenerys summoned the servants, who took the fat man to his bedchambers. She asked for a healer to be brought and took Ned aside.

“What happened? Where is Viserys?”

“I am very sorry, but we were late, Your Grace. Khal Drogo killed your brother. Illyrio managed to survive, barely. I am not sure he will actually see tomorrow. He told us Ser Jorah was acting as a translator and Drogo reacted badly to Viserys behavior towards Jorah. Things escalated quickly, many from his Khalasar questioned the marriage and the alliance, some started fighting with each other and Drogo decided to kill Viserys as a show of power to his people. Some of his men took it as an authorization to raid Pentos and Magister Illyrio tried to reason with them. We only saw him laying on the ground and brought the Magister home.”

Daenerys could not believe Viserys was gone, truly gone. “I am alone in the world now! Viserys tried to take care of me, Jon, but years of begging and running turned him into an afraid, scared man. Now I have to leave. I do not want to be a Khaleesi and stay married to this man I do not understand, who killed my brother.”

“There are some things about me and Ser Jorah that you need to know, but we do not have time now to talk. I sent Jory to the Inn, is close enough to the port and he must be now with my man, preparing the ship for us to leave. I offer to take you with us and protect you, Your Grace. We must act fast.”

Daenerys started to cry in silence; before he knew what he was doing, Ned gently brought Daenerys to his chest, stroking her hair, trying to comfort her. The warmth of her body, the sweet smell of her skin were affecting Ned in an unexpected way and he was forced to confront the truth: he was attracted to her.

When Daenerys whispered the name he had given her as his “ Jon” and raised her face, parting her deliciously pink lips, waiting to be kissed, Ned wished he _were_ Jon, young, single, free.

Against his better judgement, Ned kissed Daenerys, his lips softly touching hers, his hands holding her face and feeling the softness of her complexion.

Ned broke the kiss, pushing Daenerys away from his embrace. “Forgive me, Your Grace.”

“We should speak to the Magister before we leave. I brought with me only the essential and my eggs. “

 

***

“Daenerys, Ser Jon told me you charged him with finding me and your brother and in bringing us into safety. I thank you, dear princess. I shall die at my home and be close to my wife, Serra. I want to pay this debt now that I have the chance and tell you the truth. The healer said I have a couple of days at most. Nothing to be done, other than keeping me comfortable. Please, leave us for a moment.”

Magister Illyrio already smelled like death, his flesh decaying as spoke. His servants, at his request, had lighted some incenses and brought him parchment, ink and a wooden case.

“Ser Jorah has been working with an associate of mine in King's Landing. You should understand, Ser Jorah is devoted to your cause, but also wishes to go home. Long time ago, I had a friend and we grown rich and powerful. He moved to Westeros and I stayed here in Pentos. I married a beautiful woman called Serra. Although she had a famous name, I found her in a pillow house in Lys. It did not matter to me. My friend in King's Landing came years ago with a babe, telling me he was to be King one day and we should raise him in secret. I sent for a wet nurse, but a fever took the prince. They said his mother, the princess, was also weak. Serra gave me a son; our boy did look like the one who died. Our boy had a claim to that same throne. We carried on, swapped the babies without telling my friend, thinking one day our son would fulfill his destiny and prepared. Viserys and Drogo were part of the plan, Daenerys, but the plan is no more. They should have died in Westeros, cleaning the path for you and my son. I wanted you as his bride. Now, I ask for forgiveness, for having used you and allowed your brother to sell you to that savage. But I am greedy and I will ask more of you. Would you help me, Daenerys?”

She was holding Illyrio´s hands when she spoke. “ You gave me dragon eggs, the most precious thing I have. And you are telling me truth when you could have stayed quiet and make me walk into a  trap.  I will help you, if I can. You have my word.”

“Good. I trust you, Daenerys. You are kind, but strong. My son was raised by a man called Jon Connington and he truly thinks he is your nephew. He is a relation of you, he has the blood of the dragon. Serra has left him the sword, you will understand. There is an account on the Iron Bank of Braavos for him and he also could lend you the support of the Golden Company. The deal is simple: they will fight for you and you will allow them to go home and grant lands to the surviving. I do understand if you do not wish to marry my boy, however, I must insist you restore his House. My friend in King's Landing tells me a war is imminent: you should leave their armies destroying each other and strike only when the time is right. You do have friends in Westeros, but they will only support you if you have a chance of winning. Now, go, you need to leave. Ser Jorah and my guards will escort you. Take all the gold you want, Daenerys, you will need it.”

***

Illyrio's Manse oversaw the bay and his gardens extended south, bordering with the harbour where the _Winged Knight_ was docked. Daenerys was wearing a cape, trying to hide her face and Doreah had brought some dyes to change the princess´s hair colour and was instructed not to adress her by name or tittle in public. Illyrio had provided them with many jewels and gold and had instructed his servants to inform the other Magisters of his impending death. The old merchant had a will, he said, and was bequeasting parting gifts to members of his household. Ned saw Illyrio handing Daenerys some papers before the Magister closed his eyes.

Jory and Stark´s guards were waiting and helped carrying Daenerys possessions to the _Winged Knight_. They left Pentos behind in safety; Dothraki had little use for the poisoned water.

“I need to go to her chambers and tell her the truth, Ser Jorah.” Ned announced with sadness in his voice.

“Suit yourself, Lord Stark, if it is really your intention, but make sure to tell her everything before you do to her what you really want to do.”

Ned just gave Mormont a look and walked from him. He knocked the door and entered, finding Daenerys in bed, holding her eggs. Doreah excused herself and left.

 “I promised you to tell you who I really am, princess. Much to my shame, I have lied to you. Jon Snow is not my name, it is my nephew´s. He was the one raised as a bastard in a noble household, my household. I told you the truth when I said I would protect you. You are the only family he has left, except for an old Maester in Castle Black. His father was your brother, Rhaegar; His mother was my sister, Lyanna. I fought in the rebellion because I believed Rhaegar had abducted and raped my sister. I knew your father had killed my brother and my father because they went to King's Landing asking for explanations. When King Aerys asked for Lord Arryn for my head, it was clear he would not stop until my family was no more.

After Robert killed Rhaegar at the Trident, Tywin Lannister raided King's Landing. They said the Grand Maester had convinced King Aerys that Lord Lannister would actually help and he opened the gates. I arrived at the Throne Room and found Ser Jaime Lannister sitting on the Iron Throne, the body of your father still fresh. I was there when they brought the bodies of Princess Elia, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon, all innocent. It made my stomach turn and I told Robert somebody had to pay for the crime, that ours should have been another way. What he answered me I will not repeat, Your Grace, for it was a monstrous as the act itself. I told him I would lift the Siege at Storm's End, then look for my sister and go back to the North, never to be back. I did as I said and I found my sister in a tower, her bed soaked with blood, a baby next to her. She made me promise to look after him and save him from Robert. Lyanna never loved Robert; she loved Rhaegar. The rape allegations were the product of Robert´s wounded pride; he could not accept Lyanna would risk everything just to avoid his bed. On my honour, you are under my protection and I wish nothing more than to unite you to your family, if you will accept my offer of friendship.”

 


	2. From Pentos to Braavos: Daenerys- Eddard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddard Stark and Daenerys accept that they are not only political allies, but also lovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey people, first of all: THANK YOU for speaking up your mind! I love to hear your thoughts, EVEN when you disagree with my choices.
> 
> Because, as you can see in the comments section, reaction has been a bit negative when it came to Ned actually falling for Dany, instead of repeating my reasons I just want to explain it before hand:
> 
> This Ned is not in love with Catelyn anymore. Something happened between the two of them and I will be revealing the causes in the next chapters.
> 
> I never liked Daenerys and Drogo in the books because she was so young and she actually had to make herself love him, otherwise she would end up killing herself. 
> 
> I wanted to explore this idea of her discovering pleasure and learning more from Westeros from someone with a good heart. And to explore the idea that Ned would finally understand why Lyanna risked everything for love.
> 
> Basically, what if instead of falling in love with Drogo, Dany would fall in love with Ned, who is in a marriage in name only at this point.
> 
> Yes, it will evolve to JonxDany at a later stage, but not as you might expect. Hopefully I can put it off the way I planned.
> 
> As I said, I do understand if you are not happy with the pairing, I just want to explain that is part of a larger plan I had and that is my intenttion to touch on some sore subjects and possible secrets. 
> 
> It is NOT a slow burn fanfic, it might be explicit, but is not intended to be porn without plot. Not that I am against it...

Daenerys stare made Eddard see the fire behind her violet eyes.

He had said everything he had to say. Her family had wronged his and he had fought to depose her father.  

However, Eddard did not held Daenerys responsible and was sincere in his offer. He would help her and protect her.

Daenerys was silent.

Eddard just knew she had accepted his offer.

He knew she had accepted _him_.

Without a word, Daenerys stood up from the bed and walked towards Ned, who was leaning on a wall.

Looking him straight in the eyes, Daenerys asked : " Who are you ?"

Eddard thought this question odd; had he not made it clear he was Lord Stark?

"I do not understand, Your Grace. I just told you now."

"No, you told me you are Lord Stark, not who you are. What is your name? Your real name, that is. What do you _really_ want from me?"

Eddard was left momentarily speechless. He was puzzled by her behavior. He was prepared to start answering questions regarding Rhaegar, Lyanna, the rebellion... instead, Daenerys asked his _name_. His name, not his title.

Could it be possible to separate one from the other?  Eddard´s life was not his; he was all but a link in the Stark line, one that could be traced back 8000 years. His existence was largely defined by his role as The Lord of Winterfell, a role that should have been Brandon´s. Even his wife, Catelyn, had married Lord Stark, and not Ned.

Catelyn would never had married Ned; she would be wed to any available Lord Stark. Eddard knew had he died, Hoster Tully would have insisted Catelyn to marry Benjen.

Daenerys had showed a genuine interest in him, even when she thought he was an impoverished exiled sellsword. There was nothing she could have gained from Jon Snow, a northern bastard looking for work, somebody obviously without connections and gold, and yet, she had gladly accepted his advances and responded to his kiss.

Eddard was flattered. Perhaps this stupid feeling of pride was clouding his judgement. Perhaps years of feeling second best, living in the shadow of Brandon, thinking of what would have been if his eldest brother had stayed in Riverrun and married Catelyn instead of riding to his death in King's Landing, was making Eddard forget of his duty and lose himself in the deepness of Daenerys eyes.

The others take her, but she was very hard to resist. How could he not feel what he was feeling when she was so close ? He was only human.

"My name is Eddard."

"How old are you, Eddard?"

"I am seven and thirty."

Daenerys lips moved upwards, a small smile softening the very serious, almost angry expression she had so far.

" You are older than I thought!"

Did she think this observation would offend him?

Or was she _flirting_?

"I am not old, I am at my prime!"

"I never said you were old...I said you were older than I thought, _Eddard_.”

***

Doreah had picked up on Daenerys curiosity towards the supposed sellsword early on. “Do not worry, Khaleesi, it is only natural. You do have eyes after all!But what I am teaching you is to be used  to please your husband. Never give your gifts for free or for pleasure. Sex is our only weapon.” Daenerys supposed Doreah was right, but there should be another way for a woman to go through life, one that would not reduce her to the part of a glorified bedwarmer.

Nevertheless, the idea that came to her mind, of finding a sort of fulfilment through sex seemed worth exploring.

Daenerys was now free from both her brother and her husband. She was perfectly able to make her own decisions for the first time in her life.

Before Jon - no, _Lord Stark_ \- came to reveal the truth of his identity, Daenerys was thinking about their meeting and trying explain to herself why she was so drawn to him. She knew he was different, at least he was not like anybody she had met before. One could see that Ser Jorah was living a life of a sellsword by his appearance and demeanor. His clothes were more used than new; his voice could not hide a certain resentment. Daenerys recognized someone who had grow used to run because she had raised running. Jon, on the other hand, carried himself like he knew his place in the world, his value. His clothes were new and his manners, impeccable.

What would she do?

Lord Stark was before her, offering his support. He was offering a family, one that she did not know it existed. He had saved her and she knew he would have done the same for Viserys,  had it been possible.

How could she know it?

Why was she unable to suspect Eddard and his motives? Magister Illyrio had also helped her; she had been grateful, but never trusted him entirely. In the end, she had been right all along about Illyrio. She supposed everybody had a real plan, hidden agendas, secrets.

Why she trusted Lord Stark from all people?

Why was she getting closer instead of asking him to leave the cabin?

"I never said you were old...I said you were older than I thought, _Eddard_.”

Daenerys closed her eyes and the gap between them, kissing Eddard eagerly. Her horse lord husband had fucked her, not kissed her. Eddard had been her first kiss and she wanted many more, she realized. His beard was closely trimmed and his lips, warm. Daenerys liked the feeling of his facial hair on her skin, the very manly smell of his presence; she felt protected in his embrace and she knew he desired her, the bulge in his breeches was an unmistakable sign of her power over him.

“He is not fighting me!” Daenerys was young and inexperienced, but no idiot. Eddard was a married man, father to children, husband to a beautiful highborn lady. What they were doing was wrong. Illicitous.  Improper.

 _“How could it be so when it feels so right?” s_ he asked herself.

Daenerys decided then: she wants his body regardless. Consequences be damned, she started to undress Eddard, her hands clumsily trying to unlace him. Naturally, he had much more experience than her in this matters and the dress she was wearing was gone in mere seconds.

Daenerys then sits naked, on the edge of the bed.

Eddard looks at her. Hesitant?

“Undress.”

He did as she commanded, which in itself already gave her great satisfaction. The sight of his battered body, his scars, muscles and hairs, excited her tremendously. Daenerys touched his hard cock, then remembered that Doreah had explained her earlier that her mouth was made not only for kissing, that there were many ways to pleasure a man with hands, tongue, breasts. She would not known that; Drogo had taken her from behind, like horses do, not caring for any other part of her body except for the cunt.

No, Daenerys would find her release. This moment could well be the only opportunity for her. Eddard could very well regret it tomorrow.

But not today. Not now.

Daenerys started to lick the head of his cock, her right hand holding its base as she used her tongue to make circles around.

“At your prime, you said…”

***

Ned had given up. Gods be damned, her precious mouth sucking his cock, her hands pumping him, how could he even think about anything else?

He should be telling Daenerys to stop; he should apologise for taking advantage of her youth and vulnerable position.

Yet, here he was, trying to fit even more of his cock into her mouth, willing himself to last longer so he could fuck her for hours.

“Daenerys, please...lay down”

She stopped and simply let her upper body fall, prompting Eddard to grab her legs from the edge of the bed and push her further, until they both were comfortably placed. She kissed him, once again, and he could taste himself in her mouth, a very new experience that Eddard found particularly enticing.

Positioning himself on top of her, Eddard started to caress her golden curls, slipping a finger into her folds and then, he massaged the area, making Daenerys moan. Penetrating her with his finger, he smiled at himself, finding the area very wet.

When he finally slipped his cock inside of of her, Eddard had to muster all his self control not to come right away. _At my prime? More like a greenboy…_

Eddard found a way somehow and started to build up a steady rhythm, one that made Daenerys moan at every thrust. She was incredibly responsive and demanded to be kissed constantly. Eddard did not mind; they were making more noise than he had ever made before and kissing Daenerys was preventing her from being too loud.

But at some point, Eddard did lose control. Daenerys was panting and he felt her inner muscles twitch; there was nothing he could do, other than give her even harder. When he was sure she had found her release, he pulled out and came outside, on a piece of cloth.

Eddard laid down at her side, too tired to focus on anything. He was ashamed of what he had done; he dishonoured himself, betrayed Catelyn and disrespected Daenerys; he had offered this girl his friendship and protection, but ended up bedding her and now he was too much of a coward to apologise and leave her cabin.

How would he face his men? Anybody in that ship with two ears and eyes knew exactly what had happened…

Mormont even knew _before_ it would happen.

In his turmoil, Eddard did not notice he was actually holding Daenerys and gently stroking her hair. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt her hands going through some of his scars.

“I know what you are thinking. Don´t”

Could she read minds?

“I am a married man, princess.”

“Two days ago you attended my wedding, Eddard. I am also married. Well, with luck, I might be a widow now. My friends call me Dany, not princess.”

“Dany…”

“Shush. Who said you are my friend? “

Such a temptress! 

Impossible to resist.

He was doomed!

 

***

“You still have not answered me. What do you want from me?”

Eddard looked at her with surprise; he felt exposed there, naked, about to have a very serious conversation, one that would change not only their lives, but possibly Westeros History.

Daenerys spoke plainly. She was right; if they would not address the subject now, they might start to pretend they were simply a sellsword and his paramour on an inconsequential trip.

“I had to raise my nephew as my own, to protect him from harm. He asked me to talk about his mother when I return and I promised him I would. You are his family too. It is my intention to take you North, with me, under a secret identity, and to unite you with him. My brother, Benjen, he is a ranger at The Wall and I also want you both to meet your great-great uncle, Maester Aemon.”

“You do not want anything other than give me a new identity and a new family?”

“As I said, I want to protect you. There is no other way I could protect you in Westeros other than presenting you as someone else.” Eddard then hesitated. “ Maybe I could arrange you  a marriage. The North is a vast area…”

Daenerys interrupted Eddard, anxiety in her voice. “Do you jest? How can you be so naive? You really believe I just need to dye my hair, to change my name, and I will be safe?I have half a mind of allowing you to go on with this little plan of yours for a while, just to prove you wrong. This will never work, Lord Stark. Do not fool yourself.”

“Allow me to tell you the whole truth. Your position is very precarious, Your Grace. You have no friends left in Westeros. Lord Arryn, Robert s hand, is a very capable man, he managed to appease even the dornish. Stannis Baratheon is the greatest commander in The Realm.” Eddard paused- could he tell her everything he knew? “Mayhaps it is matter of time. Trust me when I tell you that Robert is bringing tragedy upon himself. The Lannisters are the richest family in Westeros; their pride knows no limits. Sooner or later they will be ousted it, I have heard. If you do wish to make a claim, you must learn first. Your Grace, the game of thrones is a dangerous one, I have no desire of playing it, but my hand will be forced, one way or the other. I cannot afford to fight at this moment and endanger my nephew's life. Mayhaps it is for the best for you to stay in Braavos, wait the right opportunity. And learn.  “

Daenerys knew nothing about westerosi politics and the real state of affairs. Viserys believed the smallfolk and some nobles were just biding their time, and would rise in revolt against the usurper once he invaded. What if it was all only fantasies?

“I am not staying in Braavos, although I should return to Essos in the future. My position is not as precarious as you assume, Lord Stark. But you have the right measure of it: I am unprepared and I never been to Westeros, I do not know the people or its customs.”

***

Ned only emerged from Daenerys cabin the next day. They stayed abed and talked extensively, not only about History and Politics, but also about their lives and experiences. She made him promise to never lie to her; he asked her to keep her identity a secret until time came and to be prepared to make difficult decisions.

They continued to share the same cabin during the voyage and nobody dared mention it, not even Mormont.

Only Ser Jorah and Cassel knew Eddard´s paramour was a Targaryen princess; she was being addressed as Danelle and she mostly stayed behind doors, using a dark cape to hide her hair and face when she ventured out.

Aboard the _Winged Knight_ they made some decisions: first, Ser Jorah would still play the part of spy to Robert. They knew Varys had eyes and ears in Pentos and would be informed about Illyrio´s death, but it was important to keep appearances, at least for the time being. Only Daenerys and Illyrio were present when he told her about his son and Prince Aegon´s death. He had given her documents and enough proof of the boy´s true parentage and whereabouts.

Jorah, Jory and most of the guards would stay in Essos and locate Aegon and Jon Connington. They were somewhere in the Rhoyne river area on a boat called _The Shy Maid_. It could take months, but it was an important step. Jorah would show the papers Illyrio provided and escort them to Braavos.

“Illyrio´s last wish was for Aegon to restore his House, however I am inclined to let the boy choose; he was lied to his whole life. All I will ask of him is that he aids me in contacting the Golden Company. For what Illyrio said, they are prepared to support a Targaryen in exchange for going home, provided Aegon lends his approval. If he also wishes to lead his troops in support of my claim, he will have the sword back. ”

Ser Jorah looked puzzled. “ The sword you are talking about. Is it…”

“Yes, it is Blackfyre.Viserys told me the history behind it; it is the sword of the conqueror. If Aegon chooses to be a warrior and fight, he will be worthy of the sword and I will gladly give it to him and restore his House, as I promised his father. But it is his decision to make. “

They had carried all the gold and jewelry from the safe at Illyrio's Manse and it was a fortune. Ned suggested depositing it for Daenerys in the Iron Bank which she agreed. Obviously, they gave some to Ser Jorah and Jory Cassel for their mission.

There were many reasons for Ned to leave most of his men behind: first, Daenerys presence in The North should be kept a secret, at least from Robert. They knew Varys was secretly working for Targaryen restoration, and that would be useful, however The Spider had another candidate, one that might become an important ally. The news regarding Illyrio and the Dothraki attack on Visery and Pentos would emerge and the next thing Robert would ask would be of Daenerys.

Ser Jorah would send Varys a message saying Daenerys made it to Braavos, where she was to take up residence with the gold Illyrio left her. Ned knew Robert wanted all Targaryens dead, even the women, but there were still good men in his Council who would no doubt tell the King not to worry about a helpless girl running away from her horse lord husband. Hopefully, Robert would soon have more urgent matters to attend and Daenerys would be forgotten, making it easier for Ned to hide the princess in plain sight.

The second reason Eddard had for leaving most of his guard was his doubts regarding Ser Jorah. The former Lord had evaded Lord Stark once, and could attempt another time. Eddard did not like to admit it, but the man knew Essos better than any of his man, and would be asset in tracking Aegon Blackfyre and dealing with the Golden Company. Thankfully, Jory Cassel and his men would keep an eye on Jorah and make it sure he would return to the North and join the Night's Watch as he had previously agreed.

Lastly, Ned would go directly from Bravos to White Harbour, and travel through his lordly lands. There was no need for many guards anyway. Daenerys would be briefly seen in Braavos, only to corroborate the reports of her whereabouts. She would then disappear only to re-emerge as Danelle Sand. Her hair would be dyed dark brown.

“Why not dark blonde, Ned? It will be easier for the colour not to fade, being closer to my original hair.”

Ned had his reasons.

“When I was younger, I met a dornish beauty at a tourney. They call me the quiet wolf because I am reserved, but I hear plenty; there are people who believe I dishonoured Lady Ashara Dayne. She had your eyes and dark hair. When the same people hear I am travelling with a young beauty that looks like Ashara, they will either conclude you are my bastard or that you are my mistress. They will not bother think any further than that. “

Daenerys looked suprised .“ But there is any true to the rumours? Did you love her?”

“I barely knew her, Dany. She was not only beautiful, but sweet; I would have married her, given the chance.”

 

***

The _Winged Knight_ docked at the Rangman´s Harbour and they went to accomplish what they set to. Jory Cassel was getting close to Doreah, but Eddard could not reprimand Cassel, not after spending the last days sharing a bed with a woman that was not his wife. It was a good thing that they would soon depart, as ser Jorah was obviously infatuated with Daenerys, giving her  looks and always trying to engage in conversation with her. Ned noticed it and was about to lose his wits and do something stupid.

The group then went their separate ways.

Daenerys took to reading the books Ser Jorah and Eddard had gifted her. Sometimes she would ask Ned questions, trying to understand more of Westeros History and particulars of each of the seven Kingdoms. She was surprised to learn about the first Princess Daenerys, who was wed to the Dornish Prince. Some said that Daemon Blackfyre went to war because he had desired her for himself; but the maester who wrote this History also noted the First Rebellion had happened years after the supposed slight and that both had been, by all accounts, happily married at that point.

It dawned on Daenerys how the personal always mixed up with the political: Daemon could have loved Daenerys, but he was fighting for the Iron Throne, for power in other words.

Viserys had told her Dorne would no doubt raise in revolt to avenge the deaths of Princess Elia and her children. Eddard had all but confirmed her that the  relations with Dorne were strained at best. She started thinking that Dorne would not only want revenge, but also power; they were married into the royal family back then and now they were isolated; Viserys mentioned that many men in service at the Red Keep were dornish at that time, which confirmed they had not only lost dear family members, but influence. Now that Illyrio confirmed that the last royal Targaryen with Princess Elia´s blood had died and Aegon was a Blackfyre, the allure of having a half Martell sitting on the Iron Throne was gone. Revenge could be sweet, but Daenerys had a feeling she would have to make political promises to Prince Doran in the future.

Daenerys trusted Eddard and his judgment. For all his caution, he was helping her in what he could. He had other responsibilities and priorities. It was just understandable that he did not want to jeopardize the future of his House for a possible ill fated war. She agreed they would have to wait, no matter how long. 10.000 men from the Golden Company and Dorne and the North could only be enough if the Lannisters and the Baratheon's forces would be depleted. Tyrells and Tully's owned their status to the Targaryen conquest, but  for what Eddard told her, they were greedy.

But he also told her that Robert had not been wise with his appointments and both regions were far from the center of power.

Eddard had also talked about Jon Snow, her nephew. He had grow up among his cousins but not knowing who his mother was. All that he had heard about his mother, time and again, were half trues, if not lies:  _Rhaegar had kidnapped and raped Lyanna Stark; Lyanna Stark died in captivity_. How would this young man react? Daenerys realized both Jon Snow and Aegon were in the same predicament, on opposing ends: Jon, who was the son of Rhaegar, was raised as Eddard´s whereas Aegon was raised believing himself to be the son of the fallen prince, when in reality his father was a cheesemonger.

Apparently, Jon Snow was indeed a bastard. Eddard spoke only of him as Daenerys nephew, not heir. Targaryens practiced polygamy centuries ago. However, they had to adapt to life in Westeros and not since King Maegor any men of the Royal family was married more than one woman at the same time. Daenerys agreed it was the right decision: sucession would be extremely difficult if a King was to have sons with different wives, as History showed.

Only in Dorne could a woman be truly her father's rightful heir. Eddard had made it clear her gender was working against her. She kept reading the book and had to agree: Westeros embarked on a civil war to prevent her ancestor, then Crown Princess Rhaenyra,  from ascending to the Iron Throne.

Queen Rhaenyra had dragons and yet people had risen against her.

Daenerys did not even have dragons.

But she dreamt of them.

Eddard watched her with fascination as she touched her dragon eggs, quietly marvelling at their colours. “ I dare say they give you more pleasure than I would ever give you, Dany.” he told her one night and then proceeded to lick her folds and suck her cunt until she begged for his cock. “Ride me, Ned. I do have dragon eggs, but you might be the last dragon rider!”

 

***

Yes, he was doomed.

Eddard could not have enough of her. How could he? Daenerys was now calling him a _dragonrider,_ even though she was the one riding him, his cock thrusted to the hilt, she rocking her hips while her breasts bounced from the back and forth movement.

He was in love.

Such a fool!

It was bad.

They were about to reach White Harbour. He told her he would have to stop bedding her there, while at the Merman's court, when in fact he should have said he would not bed her at all once they landed.

Ned was being careless, spilling his seed in her. He knew she had access to moontea, since Doreah was a former bedwarmer. Somehow, he had forgot to ask her of she continued to take precautions, too absorbed in their plans.

Daenerys was intelligent; she was a fast learner; she asked interesting questions; she made insightful observations.

She had just turned six and ten the night before. Daenerys thought so; could not know for sure. 

He told her most highborn ladies, even in The North, would be taught by septas. Eddard said he would ask Lord Manderly, who kept faith in the New Gods, to arrange a septa for her once they were in White Harbour. Daenerys should be taught about the religions of her people. He would also let her assist him in writing letters and would explain the betrothals he was negotiating to his children and their importance; her education had been neglected long enough.

If Daenerys of House Targaryen really wanted Lord Stark´s men to fight and die for her, he said sternly, she would have to work hard to be the best ruler she could.

Eddard also thought about Jon. Daenerys would need a husband. He did not want her to marry. But she would have to. Jon had a claim. He could not prove it, but he had an inkling that Lyanna had married Rhaegar. They were near enough the Isle of Faces. She kept the Old Gods. Targaryens could marry more than one woman at the same time. However, without witnesses and records, Jon was just a bastard with royal blood. Bastards occasionally had recognized claims. It was the only way. They should marry. 

No, he did not want _that._  

Eddard worried about his family. and Daenerys.

“What are you going to tell your Lady wife when we arrive at Winterfell?”

Eddard sighted. “Catelyn once asked me about Ashara. I told her to never ask me about Lady Ashara again. Catelyn was there at the Tourney; she remembers the Lady. “

"am I to be your long lost bastard daughter or your wanton mistress, Lord Stark?"

Eddard thought. He still wanted Daenerys, but he could not possibily bed her at Winterfell. She is a year younger than both Robb and Jon, not a difference to be noticed. They could say she was some moonturns older than the boys. Catelyn would be led to believe that Danelle Sand was her husband´s, a bastard born in Dorne, but raised mostly in the Free Cities by exiled foster parents. 

Ned pulled Daenerys closer and whispered. " I have not decided yet."


	3. From Whiteharbour to Winterfell: Daenerys- Eddard- Catelyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned makes an important decision, out of love and Daenerys tries to adapt to a new life.
> 
> Catelyn and Ned discuss the state of their relationship and their pasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello , folks.
> 
> I just wanted to say that I do have this fanfic planned and although I will leave some red herrings behind to make you guessing, it is not my intention to only tease, and not show. 
> 
> Here, you will find the answers to your burning questions. If I do this right, more questions will arise :)
> 
> Yes, Daenerys will be also called Danelle or Dany, as she prefers, in this chapter. Both the books and TV Show have people changing identities or using aliases and Daenerys has been one of the few who seem to know exactly who she is and never had to pretend to be someone else. So here I wanted HER to have to play a role, instead, let´s say Sansa. 
> 
> Thank you A LOT for the comments-both positives and negatives. I am trying to experiment a lot here, probably I failed some, but I am working hard to make them real.
> 
> There is another NOTE at the end. Please read it after this chapter, it will shed some light at how I am building the story.

The captain of the _Winged Knight_ estimated they were half a day from  White Harbour 

Ned had never been more miserable.

The decision should have been a simple one to make, but his heart was heavy. He was about to give up possibly the only woman who chose to love him, _Ned_ , and not Lord Stark. He never expected this to happen, yet it did. He would always treasure it.

Ned tried to reason with himself: he was lonely. He had ceased to lay with Catelyn many moon turns ago. He missed the warmth. They had been married for eighteen years and feelings _do_ change.

 _Too many secrets between us. Not enough trust, not anymore. We are both at fault; I did break my vows, but not when she assumed I did._  Ned thought with bitterness. Catelyn despised Jon Snow because he was his bastard.

_Would Catelyn despise Dany if she thought her to be Brandon´s bastard?_

It had been a year ago, during the harvest feast at Winterfell. Lady Barbrey Dustin was in attendance; Ned could swear the woman hated him. He could not have blamed her, as her husband rode to his death when followed Ned to war. That night, Ned tried to make his way to speak to her, but he was stopped many times by other bannermen. Many flagons of  wine later, the urge to make water hit him. He went outside, also to enjoy the cold air; by accident, he heard Lady Dustin talking with Theon Greyjoy. About Brandon.

How Brandon was very different from him, Eddard and how she, Barbrey, thought they would marry.

How she loved Brandon. How much she cried when Lord Rickard Stark announced the betrothal of his heir to Lady Catelyn of House Tully.

“ _I still remember the look of my maiden’s blood on his cock the night he claimed me. I think Brandon liked the sight as well. A bloody sword is a beautiful thing."_

Lady Barbrey had foolishly gave her maidenhead to Brandon and, in spite of knowing pretty well that Brandon was not shy in taking what he wanted and seldom was held accountable by his actions, she somehow blamed Ned for her unhappiness. 

As the second son, Ned´s duty was to support Brandon, his older, taller, more handsome brother. Ned never questioned their father. Lord Rickard Stark was made aware of Brandon´s transgression; Barbrey was a highborn lady, not a tavern wench after all. Vows were sacred; Brandon was to be Catelyn´s. Eddard, the dutiful son, would have married Lady Barbrey, to cover for Brandon´s unworthy behaviour.

Destiny and war intervened; Brandon died and Ned married not his brother´s lover but his betrothed.

Ned could never run from Brandon´s ghost. He had always been second best.

It was a queer thing, how the years bury our memories and suddenly, in most unexpected ways, we are brought back in time and realize things we must have forgotten.

The remainder of the Harvest Feast was a blur; Ned kept thinking about what he had heard. The damage had been done and from that point on he started to see Catelyn with suspicion and her faults, the same ones he had learned to overlook in favor of her many qualities, now were painfully more evident to him.

Ned became more withdraw and eventually started to shun Catelyn´s chambers.

His thoughts invariably turned to that evening playing again and again in his head. Lady Barbrey was a Ryswell, famous horse breeders. She rode horses regularly, and yet, she bled when Brandon took her.

Catelyn had not bled; Catelyn preferred wheel houses and carriages to horses.

Brandon had made advances towards his fianceé at Harrenhal. Ned knew his brother; he did not think much of Brandon and Catelyn. He only had eyes for Lady Ashara Dayne.

Ned thanked his older brother many times when he went to speak with the lady in his name and Ashara kindly agreed to dance with Ned. Later that night, he found out that Brandon had made it to Ashara´s tent.

There were people who still thought Ned was capable of dishonouring Ashara.

Brandon.  Always Brandon.

Ned could not have waited more eagerly to depart to the Vale and leave his brother´s company. Brandon stayed in the Riverlands; he was soon to be married and they were only waiting for Lord Stark to arrive. After fighting a stupid duel at Riverrun, news about Lyanna´s disappearance came and Brandon, instead of escorting his father to Riverrun, made to King's Landing.

The false spring saw only two moon turns before Autumm and in this space of time, Eddard received news of his brother and father's deaths.

Lord Hoster Tully insisted the wedding to take place as planned, the union of a daughter of His House and the future Lord Stark. Despite grief period and the uncertainties of wartime, Lord Tully was adamant his daughter would marry as soon as possible.

Two moon turns and a couple of weeks between Brandon visiting Riverrun and departing to King's Landing and Ned marrying Catelyn Tully.

Ned was too distraught to argue against marrying in haste.

The Rebellion needed the strength of the Riverlands and Lord Tully´s men.

He wedded Catelyn, bedded her and departed scarcely a fortnight after the ceremony at Riverrun.

The doubt had took root in Eddard´s heart. More weeks passed and Catelyn gave him no reason to believe she had noticed his growing discomfort, busy with the children and the managing of the keep. But Eddard missed Catelyn, he missed their quiet, dutiful love, he wanted to talk to her, he wanted to listen that no, Robb was his son, their son, not Brandon´s.

Catelyn was talking with Sansa about love and duty; about Brandon and Eddard and how she was betrothed to one, but married the other. Eddard overhead part of the conversation:

_"I gave my maidenhood to this solemn stranger”_

Eddard had to leave immediately, trying his best not to be noticed.

 _The choice of words_ …

It could mean both.

 _Maidenhood_. Any unmarried woman is a maiden.

Catelyn could be telling Sansa about their first night together; the duty of consummating their wedding and the pain of losing her _Maidenhead_. Or simply explaining how she had gave up her status as a maiden daughter of Hoster Tully when she was married to a man who, at that point, was a stranger.

Ned was not there to see Catelyn´s pregnancy. He was not present when Robb was born. When he finally met the toddler, he was bigger than Jon, who was a couple of moon turns older. Or so they told him.

 

***

 **"He cannot stay here,"** Catelyn said. **"He is your son, not mine. I will not have him."**

Eddard came to accept his wife's ill treatment of Jon as no highborn lady was expected to raise her husband's bastard. It was a price to be paid if he wanted to keep Jon under his eye. Some decisions, made with love and the best of intentions, often did more harm than good. Eddard wished it was not this case; he was not sure.

The boy looked like Ned. Robb did not.

Robb was taller and had much of the Tully looks. There was Stark in him, but Ned saw more of the wolf blood in Robb; he had a temper. He frequented the brothel with Theon Greyjoy. Had Catelyn Tully not raised him to know better and Jon not provided Robb with a very vivid portrait of the life a bastard would live, Ned could see Robb fathering a couple of baseborn children.

**"He cannot stay here."**

Eddard had lost his family, one by one: father, brother, sister, all died; Benjen at The Wall. Eddard refused to send his boys to be fostered and his daughters were also kept close. Maybe it was a mistake, as neither of his children saw much of The North, being raised in Winterfell and not venturing off. They were brought up with love and care, but what did they know about the hardships of life? Winter coming, their dreams would be broken. Eddard prayed he would be there to guide them.

At least Jon would have benefited from being fostered, Ned had to concede; the Hornwood bastard had been well received at Deepwood Motte.

**"He is your son, not mine. I will not have him."**

No, there was more than the expected ambivalence of a Lady to her husband´s bastard in Catelyn's hatred towards Jon.

Maybe she felt threatened by Jon. Jon was, supposedly,older than Robb. Catelyn knew History. Daemon Blackfyre was convinced his trueborn brother was, in fact, a bastard. This would make Daemon the rightful heir.

Before he departed to White Harbour, Catelyn and Eddard exchanged harsh words .

“Carefull with the household you send Jon to, Catelyn; I will not be pleased if he is too far away from Winterfell. This could be the first real step towards his future; it is very important.”

Catelyn's face was like a mask, trying to hide the anger the words of her husband brought her. She could, however, see that Eddard noticed her true feelings, so she did not held back:

“You care too much about him, Ned. Why? What about Robb? My son is of age, and you have refused to allow him to be properly fostered. Sansa and Arya are your only daughters, and you had not betrothed them yet...”

Eddard was more than angry; Catelyn refused to say Jon´s name, which had always disturbed him. Now, he realized what should have disturbed him more was the fact that Catelyn would sometimes talk of Robb as _hers_ , not _theirs._

“You choose your words oddly, my Lady. Robb is your son, but Sansa and Arya are our daughters? If Robb is only _yours,_ you should treat Jon, _my_ son, with kindness.”

Catelyn did not even flinch.

“I broke no vows, my Lord Husband. You are the one who dishonoured me. Tell me, this is the reason why  you have not done your duty lately and is avoiding my chambers? Because you think I broke my vows? How could I? I was betrothed to your brother, not to you, Ned. I gave you sons and daughters, all trueborn. You made me your wife, we have a family. That should be enough.”

Family. Duty. Honour. To hear Catelyn speak, how she phrase it, you could not deny she was living by her family words.

Catelyn gave birth to sons and daughters as a woman married in the Stark family.

Catelyn would never spurn the advances of her husband, who was the one avoiding her bed and failing to do his duty.

Catelyn had broke no vows to him because she was betrothed to Brandon, not Eddard. Her honour was intact.

“Lady Stark, do not dare to doubt my devotion and love ever again. Your words hurt me.” Eddard paused for a second, trying to recollect himself and speak in a less menacing tone. “ You know me well; you can trust me. I took a vow, so did you. Why do you call Robb yours? Did you give Brandon more than your favor? Would it be possible?”

“Why now, Ned? After all these years, why now?”

He had no time to talk about his suspicions. His men were waiting for him. He had to leave soon. But he needed to know.

“Catelyn, I knew Brandon better than you did. I loved him, how could I not? He was my brother. I came to love you and I trust you also came to love me after all these years. I let you know; I would not blame you. Tell me the truth of it and I will return to you.”

_Please, Catelyn. Do not deny me the truth._

“No. You have your secrets; I have mine. No vows were broken. ”

If Catelyn had asked him about Jon, if she had answered him at that moment, Eddard would have told her and would have accepted her...

Instead, Lord Stark left to White Harbour without hearing from his wife´s mouth what he knew it was true. He had offered her to start over without lies and she had refused him.

Eddard was honest; he did not blame Catelyn for falling in love and sleeping with the man she loved and was about to marry. How could he? He knew Brandon; he had his ways. Catelyn was young and in love; Brandon had convinced many before her. Everything was a game to Brandon and Ned doubted he would have changed after being married.

Catelyn would have made Brandon a perfect wife. She was beautiful, polite and very attentive. She would have turned a blind eye to his indiscretions and he would have never brought her a bastard to be raised among their trueborn children.

However, Catelyn had married Eddard, a man who would never bed a kitchen wench and send her away once she started showing, but instead brought home a motherless child, recognizing the baby as his.

 

***

Eddard did not have much experience with women. Looking back, he could now see how inept he would seem to Catelyn: too anxious, too clumsy.

Time passed and things got easier. Nevertheless, passion was lacking : Catelyn would more often than not stay still and silent, her hands barely touching his body. It had not bothered Eddard; Catelyn was raised to see their couplings as a means to an end. Maester Luwin had recommended her to lay still and not move afterwards, keeping Eddard´s seed as long as possible inside of her. They would do their duty, no unpleasant task Eddard had to admit, then Catelyn would cover herself in her furs and Eddard would put his breeches on and open the windows of her chambers. They would talk. Maybe Eddard would take her again, or maybe leave to his chambers. A child would be conceived and they would cease to have relations when time came, or Eddard would bed Catelyn until she fell pregnant.

Eddard had only been in love once, briefly, with Lady Ashara. When Rhaegar Targaryen had crowned Lyanna his Queen of Love and Beauty, Eddard had not understood how could the Crown Prince disrespect Princess Elia, his wife, and how could he place a doubt at Lyanna´s reputation?

How could a married man be so in love with a young girl that he would disregard his own family ?

What would make a dutiful and honourable man to be careless and forsake his wedding vows ?

Eddard realized his thoughts were drifting back to Daenerys.

Ending this relationship with Daenerys became easier when Eddard realized she reminded him of another girl.

A girl that was just a couple of years younger than Daenerys.

A girl Ned found in a bed soaked with blood, dying because she had dared to love and be loved back by a foolish man who should have known better.

Lyanna was in pain, far from home, delirious with fever. Lyanna was dead before her time and Eddard had made her a promise.

There was still time to keep the promise he made to Lyanna, to protect his family and to save Daenerys from a similar fate.

Only this hope gave Eddard the strength to tell Daenerys they could no longer be together.

 

***

Daenerys was sad.

She knew things would change once they reached Westeros, as they did.

It was a good thing that she was busy with lessons and spending most of her time with Lady Wylla, Lady Wynafryd and their septa. Lord Manderly had allowed her to study alongside his trueborn granddaughters because of Lord Stark´s status.

Eddard explained to Dany she would not be allowed to sit with the other nobles at their table when they were to share meals together.

She had been introduced as Danelle Sand but she asked everybody to call her Dany. It was easier this way. Daenerys knew who she was and could not forget. She would not forget.

She could pretend, for the time being, but  in the silence of her chambers, she would open her chest with her dragon eggs and remember.

How could she forget? The dragon dreams were so vivid. She would see herself riding a big, scaled beauty in the skies. Free.

Then she would wake up and drink a very delicious black beer and talk to Ned in between lessons.

Eddard was writing letters and explaining her the alliances he was so diligently working on. He was pleased because Lord Willas seemed eager for a northern bride. An agreement was reached and Eddard told her they would announce it at Winterfell. Evidently, he wanted to tell the news to Sansa before it was official. He knew his eldest daughter was very anxious for a southern match.

Wylla Manderly was to be Robb Stark wife. The contract had been signed and ravens had been sent. Eddard did not want to wait too long for them to marry. He would have to invite his bannermen to attend the feast and since The North was as large as all other Kingdoms combined, traveling took time. The wedding would have to take place in 2 moon turns, at its earliest.

Dany still missed his company at night, but he was still there, making her feel welcomed, protected.

Eddard had insisted on a new wardrobe for her and also some dresses for Doreah. Both had never been pampered before and sitting for fittings for a long stretch of times was a new experience. Doreah´s dresses were simpler than Dany´s, but still better fitting than the ones she had arrived.

Eddard was pleased to see Dany in furs and her hair was braided in the northern style.

Wylla was very friendly; her sister was also very nice, but more reserved. Eddard explained Wynifryd was a heiress, which was unusual but Lord Manderly's son only had daughters.

Dany could not understand why Eddard would want to reach an agreement with Lord Stannis Baratheon regarding his youngest son, Rickon.

“Rickon is only 6 years old, Dany. For Robb, I could explain why I approached a northern wife; he is heir to Winterfell. King Robert always wanted to have a Stark-Baratheon union. Joffrey is unwed and not yet betrothed. Lord Stannis is the safest option: Rickon, being so young, would not be fostered in years and we would have to wait even longer for a betrothal between him and Shireen.”

“I see. What kind of man Lord Stannis is?You said he is a great commander. “

“He is a hard man, but just. He will break before he bends.”

Daenerys had learned the Baratheon's words “Ours is the Fury”. Like the Iron Throne, they took it from the family that came before them, the Durrandons. Time had turned the Targaryen´s closest allies into the bitterest of enemies.

“Lord Stannis would not stop if he was to fight the Lannisters then?”

“There will be a war, yes. Robert knows he can count with Stannis. However, Renly is the one who controls the Stormlands. No difference; Robert and Stannis would be the ones commanding the forces. Lord Lannister, for all his gold and men, did not fight the Rebellion as we did. He waited the right time and did the dirty job for Robert.”

Eddard spoke with great knowledge; Daenerys wished she knew more of Westeros and the men they were talking about. _In time_ , she thought to herself.

“Must be easy to murder women and children and be thought as a great man of war.. Was Lord lannister a good commander during the Ninepenny Kings?”

“I would not know that, Dany, I am not _that_ old. Evidently, you should not assume the war would be easily won by the Baratheons, based only on their commanders. Lannisters have more men and gold. Gold can buy sellswords. and many other things. Supplies, for instance: wars are often won, or lost, because of supplies.”

“Baratheons would undoubtedly seek your alliance and your fighting men. You fought with Robert at the Rebellion, after all…”

“I fought for my sister, my father and my brother. I told you already, Dany. “

They were careful to not speak in loud tones, but Daenerys was getting agitated. What Viserys had told her was incomplete, but it had been canon to her since she was a small child. She had to reconcile the versions she was now given. _Eddard was there after all_. He knew more than she would ever known.

“I am not talking about your reasons, Lord Stark. I am talking about Robert´s. I am talking about Lord Lannister´s. Do you still believe he fought for Lyanna? Lord Arryn lost an heir. You lost your family. Robert lost a woman he barely knew, but gained a Throne.He was next in line. All he had to do was eliminating _us_.  The more I read, the more I am convinced it was only an excuse. ”

“What are you trying to say? “

“Wars are not fought only because of broken hearts, Lord Eddard. You were there, you tell me if I am wrong. Great Houses were making alliances through marriages, my brother Rhaegar was closing his ranks and my father was mad. Lannisters were ousted by the King and isolated. You and Robert were at The Vale when my father asked for your heads; I can see why Lord Arryn refused it. I can see why you marched your men. I cannot see why Lannisters would march into King's Landing and kill not only the King, but all the heirs to the Throne at that particular time when The Reach and Dorne were still on our side. Even at Castamere, Lord Lannister allowed some women and children to join the Faith. I am trying to understand what kind of men I will be fighting and why you are trying your best to keep ties with them.”

Eddard looked at her closely. Beauty, but also intelligence. No experience. Time was working against her. He wondered if she would ever be prepared. He wondered if he would be there.

“You assessed the situation correctly. However you still fail to understand why men choose to fight and naturally so, as you are too young and is yet to see a war herself. Robert was a warrior and a natural leader; he was the wronged party. Your father was a danger to nobles and smallfolk alike. People fighting under Robert believed in him. Lannisters were opportunists; they would support not only who was more likely going to win, but who would give them more. Every war has a hero, a villain and a winner. And the people under them are the ones dying, killing and surviving. Not everyone that supported Robert, or the Lannisters for that matter, were butchers, Dany. There were noble, good people too, on both sides.”

Daenerys mind immediately turned to Ser Willem Darry, who whisked her and Viserys to safety, dying with them in exile.

“Have you decided if you are fighting with me ? What about Jon? ”

“I have not  decided yet. We have an agreement, do not forge of it. No harm will come to you while you are under my protection. I promised Jon to tell him about his mother and I will. We will go to The Wall, together, and both of you will talk with Maester Aemon, if he is still alive. Jon can only choose his future if he knows his past and I cannot deny him anymore. He is a man grown and I will consider the promise I made to be fulfilled the day Jon makes his choice. But you, you have to show me not only that you can claim the Iron Throne, but that you are worthy of it. If the war comes, I will not fight for either side. If you wait the right time, have the support of the Golden Company and Dorne… then  I, Lord Stark, will fight at your side.Faithfully and until the end. It is not a matter of being opportunistic, but of survival. How can I give my men´s life for somebody who would not have means to hold the Throne in earnest? If all you have by then is your famous name, I will tell you to return to Essos, make good use of your gold and live a peaceful life.”

All Daenerys ever wanted was to return to the place of her fondest memories. The house with the red door. She wanted to have a family. She would have been happy living such a life.

But something had changed in her, she knew. She was a woman with dreams now. Dragon dreams.

Fire and Blood. Would she be strong enough to live,and die, by this words?

“Which excuse would you give to Robert then, not to fight for him?”

“He is my Liege. I could not ignore him completely, Dany. I could remain neutral, as the Lannisters did for most of the Rebellion. I could also send him men, but not many. Barely enough men and not for long. It would be one of those difficult decisions I told you about : I would be sending men to a certain death in this case. The North is as uninvadable as the Riverlands is indefensible. If we stay North, Lannisters and Baratheon and other families will deplete themselves. At any rate, winter would come and my men would have to retreat. If we had trouble at The Wall, my men would retreat. There should always be a Stark in Winterfell; I would not go to war for him. Nor send my sons to die for him. I gave Robert enough. Believe me when I tell you this. ”

 

***

Lord Stark and his retinue prepared to make their way to Winterfell; his correspondence with Stannis Baratheon  had yielded the expected fruits: they would wait until Rickon reached his tenth name day and he would be fostered at Dragonstone and, if a bond of friendship would develop in time, Rickon would be betrothed to Shireen Baratheon.

Except, Eddard knew war would disrupt some of his plans.

Time was a precious thing.

Before leaving, Lord Stark had talked extensively with Lord Manderly about raising a navy; there were enough coin and hands to build and repair the northern fleet. The Umbers could provide the Manderlys with timber; both Houses would benefit from such enterprise.

Dany was getting used to the weather, the coldest she had experienced in a long time. She had to suppress giggles when Eddard told her it was summer.

The weeks passed and their relationship evolved to the deepest of friendships; Dany still wanted his touch and wondered if he felt the same. Not only sex, but the warmth of his body. It would be lovely to have him sharing furs, as they said in The North, but she understood.

Eddard thought it was wise to tell, or let people assume, Danelle Sand was a bastard of his late brother´s. He told Dany his relationship with his lady wife had been too strained; perhaps even irreparably. They no longer shared the same bed, but to have another woman under his roof as his bastard would bring more attention to Dany than he supposed it would be wise.

Before long, they reached their destination.

“There. You see it, Dany? Winterfell!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am writing this fiction incorporating some of my favorite theories of ASOIAF , the ones that would make an impact in the story ( not like, Vrays is a merman) and that have enough written evidence to be credible.
> 
> Below you will find the breakdown of Robb is Brandon´s son theory.
> 
> http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/118313-cbr-robb-stark-theory/


	4. From Winterfell to The Wall: Catelyn-Eddard-Dany-Sansa-Arya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned and Catelyn have a massive argument. Yes. Guess what? It is because of Jon Snow. 
> 
> What happened this time?
> 
> On a less dramatic note, Danelle, Sansa and Arya get to know each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, keep the comments coming. Positive. Negative. Grumpy. Just stay classy and PLEASE, check out the following, to prevent us for repeating the same stuff.
> 
> 1) Ned x Dany happened the way it did, reasons, everything. As I said before, everybody has a point in life where their world view is put into question. Ned had just been turned down, in a way, by Catelyn. What bothered him was not Robb not being his son, but Catelyn being too proud to confirm it.  
> Rhaegar was dutiful until he ran with Lyanna; Robert was brave until he became a coward, People do change or even react in unexpected ways.
> 
> 2) yes, the age difference! I also find it wrong a 16 years old having sex with a 37 years old, but hey, this is Westeros.
> 
> 3)Do not assume you know how I will develop Jon x Dany. The only thing I really dislike is when people criticize me for something I have not wrote yet, assuming they know exactly how I will write it, and dismissing it. It is not going to be sex right off the bat. It is not going to be an epilogue relationship. I did not tag this fic just to attract clicks. We are on chapter 3! this will be a long one!
> 
> 4) Refrain from using expresions like Dany is " leftover". It is sexist. It deshumanizes her. If you have not noticed, Ned married Catelyn after she slept with Brandon. And he did not mind that Catelyn was with his brother. He knew she was in love with him. What hurt him was that her pride kept her from telling him the truth. In this fic, Ned would not call Catelyn a leftover. 
> 
> 5)Also,I did not set to write fluff. Characters will have sex with different partners without being porn without plot, people will fall in and out of love ( like Catelyn and Ned) as it happens. There will be conflict and drama. I did not want to write some unrequited love, slow burn fic. It is an odd pairing Dany x Ned and I wanted to explore it in full. If it does bother you much, please, maybe it is best that you do not read it. It is okay. I stopped reading a couple of fics too because they were not working for me.

Catelyn welcomed her husband and his charge with cold civility.

She did not know what to think of this woman, Lady Danelle.

Catelyn had never thought she would be having problems with Ned. Both were dutiful in nature and had grown to love each other.

How could Ned feel betrayed after all they went through together? Catelyn thought her Lord Father had been clear to Ned: Brandon had gone south instead of marrying her. Both had been fools, Catelyn and Brandon, but fools for love. _“ What difference will it make, my Lady? We shall wed soon.”_

“Ned, you are welcome to any solace you might find when you are away; You have a man´s needs, after all. But I forbid you to have your mistress under my roof.”

“Lady Danelle is not my mistress.” _She was, but not anymore. I am ashamed._

Eddard denied it with the conviction of truth.

Nonetheless, it did little to reassure Catelyn.

“She is a Sand. How old is she? Seven and ten? She looks like Lady Ashara.” Catelyn paused, waiting for a reaction. When it did not came, she pressed on. “I will not be the only one making the same connection. Another bastard, Ned? How many more will you bring to Winterfell?

“I asked you the truth once; you refused me, Catelyn.”

“You were the one who first refused me the truth.”

True words. Eddard remembered that night: Catelyn had asked him about Lady Ashara. Was she Jon´s mother? She had heard gossip and wanted to know. He had refused to answer, but only to protect Jon and keep the promise made to Lyanna.

When he did ask Catelyn about Brandon, it came with an offer of love. Ned would honour her and Robb, regardless. Yet, she had refused.

“Very well, then. I only danced with Lady Ashara once. I was smitten, I admit. Brandon cared little about my feelings; he was the one who visited Lady Ashara that night.”

Catelyn's face showed real sadness; her voice softened.

“She will be given chambers, fitting for her status. I would prefer her not to be in the company of Sansa and Arya, Ned.”

Eddard could not understand the request in the context of what they had just said to each other. _Was Catelyn sad because she thought Brandon had really loved her?_

“Danelle well mannered and took her lessons with Lady Wylla when we were at White Harbour. I do not see why she would not be allowed the same courtesy by us.”

“You are right, Eddard. Lady Danelle seems to be a fine young woman.”

Eddard was not fooled by the sudden appreciation; he decided to change subject.

“Are you pleased with the bethrotals, Catelyn?”

“Robb is of age and marriage will do him good; I hope he will take to Lady Wylla and spend less time with Theon. The Manderlys are the most powerful of your bannermen. You chose well, Ned.”  Catelyn was now smiling in earnest. “ Sansa will be pleased to go south, no doubt. The match is splendid. Tyrells are second only to the Lannisters in wealth and power. I must confess, however,  I thought you would approach first King Robert instead of Lord Tyrell. His Grace was once denied his Stark bride, I am sure he would be glad to have his son wed one of our daughters. We do still have Arya…”

“Gods, Catelyn, Arya is just twelve...and Joffrey...Joffrey is…”

“Crown Prince.Heir to the Iron Throne. “

 _Bastard Boy. A Hill of Casterly Rock. “_ No, Catelyn. Prince Joffrey might be the present heir, but he is not suitable match for any of our daughters. Jon Arryn himself told me so. I have my reasons. “

“You love Jon Arryn as a father and I know he means well, but do not be naive. Perhaps he has other candidates for the Crown Prince? If you offer Arya, her sons could rule from Dorne to The Wall. What is so wrong with that?”

 _Could I trust her with the truth? When she herself is incapable of telling me?_ “ Catelyn, I command you to obey me and trust my judgement. Arya has not yet flowered; when time comes, I will find her a good match. Prince Joffrey is unworthy of any of our daughters. Do you understand? Do not repeat this outside this walls.“

There was silence. Ned and Catelyn just stared at each other for a moment. Where once there was complicity, now there is distrust. _How could we allow this to happen to us both, Catelyn?_

Finally, Catelyn broke the silence.

“ When do you intend to seek a husband to Arya? She is far behind in her training to be a Lady and manage a household, I admit. On the other hand, I was only twelve when my father betrothed me to your brother Brandon.”

 _Brandon. Yes, it was all meant for him. “_ Arya has not flowered and is not prepared, you said it yourself. She has too much wolf´s blood in her; a family that values brave women is the right place for her. Mountain Clans. Umbers. Reeds. Mayhaps Dorne. Prince Doran has two sons of suitable age.”

“They are not heirs. Arya should have her own household”

 _She herself admitted Arya would not know what to do being the Lady of a Keep, and yet... My father tried to force Lyanna into this role. Had she been given to someone like Prince Oberyn, she would be happy and alive, travelling, riding horses in the desert.._.

“There are other families in Dorne, Catelyn.”

Catelyn would have none of it : “I am well aware of the fact, Ned.” She tried not to sound bitter. “Why Rickon instead of Brandon to be sent  to Dragonstone?”

Ned calmly explained that Brandon lacked aptitude to martial arts; Rickon showed promise and would benefit more of education under Stannis and could grow, in time, to love Shireen Baratheon. Brandon would be best suited to assist Robb in ruling The North; perhaps he could grow to marry Lady Meera Reed, Howland´s heir, if they could be persuaded to wait 4 years for Bran to come of age.

Eddard felt that they had discussed enough  of matters that concerned them both and was prepared to see if the confidence he had put in her was well earned : “We need to send a raven to Jon, he is to attend the feast. Where did you sent him, Catelyn?”

“The boy chose to join his uncle at the Night's Watch.”

_No, she did not do it._

“I did not hear it. You jest. You would not dare, Catelyn. As Lord Stark I charged you, Lady Stark, with an important task. And you disobeyed. Out of spite. “

Eddard was furious. _How could she have sent the boy to The Wall?_

“I did as you bid me; find him a good place that would welcome him, you said. You told me it was of utmost importance for his future. A bastard can raise as Lord Commander in the Night's watch. You told me he was to be among people close  to the Starks. Who is closest than Benjen, his own uncle? The Starks had been great supporters of the Night's Watch. And it was the boy who  approached Maester Luwin himself; it was not my idea. The solution has presented itself. It is done.”

Eddard was about to scream at Catelyn when a knock came at the door. He tried to recompose himself; his anger would not get the best of him. “ My Lord, Maester Luwin begs urgent audience. A raven came from King's Landing”

 _Dark wings, dark words._ “Well then, send him in.”

Maester Luwin and Catelyn waited while Eddard read the piece of parchment. His face paled; Catelyn thought Ned would faint, then she reminded herself that he was no southron Lady.

“What is it, Ned? Tell us!”

His voice was barely audible.“Lord Arryn is dead. King Robert rides North with his family and courtiers. “

Catelyn tried to use a reassuring voice. “ I am sorry for your loss, my love.”

“I will have no time to grief.” _You made sure of that, Catelyn._ “Maester Luwin, I will write to Lord Tyrell and Lord Willas now. The fastest bird you have must carry the message to Highgarden. I want to make the announcements regarding the betrothal, the wedding and the King's arrival to my bannermen before I depart. I must also write to Castle Black.”

“ Are you leaving? Where to?”

Eddard waited when Maester Luwin had left them alone to answer his wife in private.

“Yes, I am leaving.  As soon as possible, I will go to The Wall. Lady Danelle is to accompany me since you broke my trust. I will ask the Lord Commander to not allow Jon to take his vows before I arrive there and talk to him myself. I know what you have done, Catelyn. Do not fool yourself. _I know why you done it_. You saw a chance and you took it. Jon is my blood; so is Robb. They were raised as brothers. Robb is the heir to Winterfell. Everybody knows it. Why you had to do it? Send Jon to The Wall? Robb might be Brandon´s, but I love him as my own.”

Brothers of the Night's Watch took no wives, fathered no children, renounced all claims. Catelyn was trying to protect her son´s place as the next Lord Stark. 

“Here, read it yourself. Start preparing accordingly. They will be coming at a slow pace. We have time. There will be a feast. Singers. Robert would like to hunt. “

 ***

Dany had not been in a place like Winterfell before. The New Castle in White Harbour had a lighter atmosphere. Winterfell was imposing; they told her it was bigger than the Red Keep. Dany felt Winterfell was  a world in itself.

In addition, Dany was not used to be around so many people of her age.

She had time in her hands and got acquainted with many members of the Stark household. The Pooles; Cassels; Hullen. They were all very friendly and receptive to Dany. Even Septon Chayle was nice, in a calm manner, and Dany did visit the Sept on more than one occasion. She prayed and lit a candle in memory of Ser Willem Darry, the man who saved her and Viserys.

Robb Stark did not look much like his father, Ned. He was taller, had auburn hair and was more handsome. Ned was attractive but in a  more masculine way. Anyone could see they were part of the same family; Robb sometimes would have a stern look on his face, similar to the one Ned used most of the time.

Dany thought Lady Wylla Manderly would enjoy Robb´s more playful nature and she hoped they would grow to love each other. Wylla had dyed her hair green and Dany was sure Winterfell would receive its first green haired bride in its eight thousand years of History.

However nice and handsome he might be, Dany found Robb to be a bit pretentious. Maybe  because he was most always in the company of Theon Greyjoy. When they were together, they would stare at her. Dany thought how both men would have made her uncomfortable if she had met them a couple of years before. _I am a woman now; they are only boys. Silly boys._

The day after their arrival, Lord Stark was to execute a deserter of the Night's Watch. Dany would witness it. “ In the North, the man who passes the sentence, should swing the sword. You must learn our ways if you want to rule us. Blood should not unsettle you.”

Robb, Theon and Brandon were also in attendance. Lady Stark complained about Brandon´s presence; thought him to be too young. Dany silently agreed. They barely spoke to each other. Lady Stark did not seem to mind Dany, but was also not particularly pleasant towards her.

The deserter was only a boy; a scared boy at that. He told Lord Stark why he left his post. Ice Demons, for what Dany understood. He was a ranger and went North of the Wall, saw his companions die horribly, panicked and left.

He had ran for his life just to lose his head.

Lord Stark just listened the tale; he did not believe such things. Eddard sentenced the deserter to death and went through with it. There was no joy, but there was also no mercy.

 _There should be other way. Punishments should not be so absolute. He deserted, yes. Why not return him to the Watch? Why not have them discipline him in another way?_ Eddard said the Watch was in constant need of men and their numbers were dwindling. Killing their own men at first transgression was no good tactic. _Maybe when I am Queen I can change the laws. Leniency should not be a sign of weakness._

Old Nan was the Stark children´s nurse. She liked Dany from the start and would tell her the most horrible stories. Brandon and Rickon swore that everything Old Nan said was true. Dany felt silly, but she believed them. After all, she had dragon eggs and dreamt dragon dreams. Dragons are fire made flesh.Maybe there were some creatures made of Ice out there.

The two boys loved Dany and she loved them back. They told her about their life and studies and were fascinated by her travels: Myr, Braavos, Pentos. Brandon asked about knights and she answered she met some sellswords. Ned had told her not to speak too long about the same topic, or to be too personal. Therefore, she concentrated in describing the cities, their inhabitants, the colours and smells of the places she visited.

Rickon would sometimes run to the crypts of Winterfell. They told her the Kings of Winter and Lords of Winterfell were buried there, with their swords. The thought of it made her uncomfortable. Dany had to admit there was a strange quality to the place. Winterfell seemed magical.

The Starks now had direwolves as pets, small balls of fur, beyond cute. A stag had killed its mother. Each kid had adopted a direwolf. Brandon said the white one would be Jon´s and asked Dany to take care of it for the time being. The albino wolf took to sleep at Dany´s bed. She loved it.

Eddard said they would leave to The Wall sooner better than later. Finally, she would  meet the only family members she had left. Jon and Aemon Targaryen, a Maester and brother of the Watch. Dany would give the direwolf to his rightful owner, Jon, and would show her eggs to Maester Aemon.

***

One afternoon, Sansa and Arya invited Dany for their sewing circle. Arya was there more out of duty - it seemed Lord Stark forced his girls to share more time together. The sisters would bicker. Sansa would call Arya horseface; Arya would pull tricks on Sansa.

Dany was as talented in needle point as Arya. That is to say, they were hopeless; but whereas Arya would be visibly displeased, Dany would simply smile at her attempts. The wolves she spent hours embroidering  looked like cats. Septa Mordane advised her to try a simpler pattern next time as “ Not everyone is as blessed with talent as Lady Sansa is.”

When Septa Mordane excused herself and went to pray, leaving Old Nan as their chaperone, Sansa started to talk about her betrothal:

“My Lord father told me Lord Willas is kind and gentle. I have always dreamt of knights and tourneys and all the beauty of the south. I am very thankful for such a match and will do my duty. But...Lord Willas is no knight; I will never be crowned queen of love and beauty.”

Daenerys could see all the dreams behind Sansa´s blue eyes.“ For what your Lord Father told me, your intended was knighted at an early age and it was at one of those tourneys that he had his leg crushed. “

“Oh! I was not aware of that.” Sansa sounded genuinely surprised.” Poor Lord Willas! I shall make him a good wife; It will be enough to attend and organize as many tourneys as I want!”

Arya was rolling her eyes and had already stopped pretending to embroider “ How old was Lord Willas when he lost the leg? He sounds silly, a silly man on a horse!Tourneys are stupid!”

“Arya! Do not say that of Lord Willas. He will be your good  brother!”

Before they would start screaming at each other, Dany answered: “Lord Willas was knighted very young. I do not know the exact circumstances, but his leg was crushed, not lost. Your Lord Father said he was very eager to have your hand, Lady Sansa. Lord Willas did not sound like a silly man, Arya. And tourneys are a show of power, but also very dangerous, many had lost their lives. At any rate, there is much more to a marriage than organizing tourneys, Lady Sansa.”

“Like what, Dany? Please, do tell. My Lady mother said I was to be always available to my husband and to give him my council. But…”

Dany could see what Sansa was asking : “ Did your Lady Mother not tell you _exactly_ what she meant by that?”

“No. She said I would understand in time, that I would have to trust my Lord Husband and be dutiful.”

Arya stuck her tongue out, showing her disgust. “Ew...even I could understand what our mother meant, Sansa, and I am younger than you. Remember when we saw the stag and the doe near the godswood?Ew…”

“Oh!It will be...like that?” The thought seemed to bring no pleasure to Sansa. “ Dany, do you know something about the...intimacies?”

“I was married not that long ago.”

Both sisters looked puzzled “Oh, really?”

Dany could not possibly reveal the whole truth about Khal Drogo. Not to mention...their father.

“My first time was...rough. He was a brute, my husband. I was glad when he was gone. But yes, any first time, there is pain involved, as you should be aware.”

“Dany, were you married twice?”

_This was getting too close._

“Yes. My second husband was a far better man. But  many years older. I found comfort in his body and he found pleasure in mine. By the time we came together, I already trusted him. Maybe it is a good idea to start an honest correspondence with Lord Willas. You could write him about your likes, dislikes, aspirations and try to learn the same from him.”

Sansa suddenly looked like a child, her smile a shy one. “He is yet to write me, Dany.”

“Lady Sansa, I believe Lord Willas would not find you reprehensible if you were to start a correspondence. You do not need to let him know each and every detail about you, but just enough to start a friendship. It will make it easier by the time you start a more physical relationship, not to be total strangers to each other.”

Arya suddenly realized she had missed an important piece of information: “Wait, Dany, you were married twice? And both died? And you did not get with child...how old were you?”

“I was five and ten. Both... _marriages_ were..brief. I was far too young to have a child so I took precautions.” her own mother, Queen Rhaella, came to her mind. Viserys had told her Rhaella was only four and ten when she gave birth to Rhaegar and she had almost died. After Rhaegar, their mother spent years miscarrying children. “ Maybe you should talk to Maester Luwin about the appropriate time and age for a woman to conceive. I assume you will not wed Lord Willas right away.”

The childlike smile in Sansa's face had now given place to a more mature one .“Oh. I hope sooner than later. You said Lord Willas was eager to wed me, after all.”

 “And you are eager to go south, to be a southron lady, organizing silly tourneys!”

 

***

The days passed and they left to The Wall.

Forests, lakes, abandoned towers. The North was full with wonders and mysteries. The cold was a different type of cold, Dany felt.

The cold embraced the body and reached the soul at the same time.

The journey was difficult, but not all unpleasant. Poor Doreah was having a hard time on her horse, but eventually even her discomfort with the mount became a secondary problem when the snows came.

Eddard and Dany would talk in hushed tones while others slept. She was both anxious and aprehensive about meeting Jon and Maester Aemon.

Would they like her?

She also hated the idea of leaving the wolf puppy with his owner; she had gotten used to sleep with the unnamed pet.

The Wall was much more than Dany had expected. A small woman, she felt even smaller looking at the big mass of Ice in front of her.

"Finally."

 

 

 

 


	5. From the Wall to Winterfell: Daenerys- Eddard-Jon-Aemon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddard reveals the truth to Jon, Aemon and Benjen.
> 
> Dany and Jon talk about their lives and Jon adopts Ghost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About frequency of posts:  
> I really like the idea of one chapter a day, but I cannot promise I will always manage it.  
> Usually, I would go for once a week, but I have not been that busy lately, so, we will see.

Daenerys and Doreah stayed at Moles town with a guard while Lord Stark went to Castle Black to speak to Lord Commander Mormont about the state and affairs of the Night's Watch. He would ask Jeor Mormont´s leave to take Jon Snow to Daenerys before night fall. He would also speak to Maester Aemon.

Dany protested; she also wanted to go. Why would she stay behind? Why the the delay?

“You have waited all your life, Dany. What difference will a couple of hours more make? Castle Black is no place for women; your presence would distract the recruits.”

Eddard left and Dany laid in the only bed the dilapidated house offered. The chest with the dragon eggs sat nearby.The village was a strange place; only a part of the town was built on the ground; most of the commerce and houses were located on deep warm cellars, connected by tunnels. Lord Stark had offered the family who lived in the house some coin for leaving the place to Dany and her retinue ; the family shared the new found riches with the neighbors that took them in and would attend to Dany´s needs during the time she was to stay.

Doreah encouraged Dany to nap, saying she would go about and see more of Moles town for herself. Dany thought Doreah actually wanted to visit the brothel and acquire some moontea. Dany herself did not have use for moontea though- Eddard was true to his words- and Doreah was not sharing someone's bed, or at least not as openly as she was with Jory Cassel back in Essos.

Dany slept. and dreamt.

She was used having dragon dreams now; the first time was an unsettling experience. Lately, however, she looked forward to those dreams and the sense of freedom they would give her.

The dream she had today was of a different sort.

It was like visiting a distant place, lost in the fogs. Dany saw a very handsome man, who looked like Viserys. Nearby, there was a woman nursing a baby. The man said : “He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire.” He was now looking straight to Dany, as if addressing her. “ There must be one more...the dragon must have three heads.”

Dany woke up with the wolf pup licking her face. She hugged the little rascal :“ Soon you will meet Jon and he will give you a name!”

Strocking its fur, Dany started to think : direwolves are the symbol of House Stark, but were thought to be extinct until that day when they found them . _What if the same thing  happens with House Targaryen and their dragons?_

***

Eddard spent part of the morning in the Library with Maester Aemon. The old man understood the need for secrecy: his House had fallen and he knew of the exile of his only living relatives. He heard the Eddard´s tale and requested his steward, Chett, to take him to Moles Town.

After that, Eddard went on a tour of the facilities . He agreed with Lord Commander to help the institution, promising to advise King Robert to send more resources and men to The Wall. However, he could not promise this would solve all the problems they were facing.

As Lord Stark, Eddard regularly sent supplies and men to The Wall, however both men agreed the depopulation of The Gift and New Gift was one of the causes of the Night's Watch dire situation. They needed the rents and supplies the lands would provide them to properly protect The Wall, but, because wildlings were constant raiding the areas, the smallfolk were fleeing south seeking security and better lands.

Lord Stark talked about raising new lords for the abandoned Holdfasts in the New Gift as a way of providing the smallfolk with more means of defense against raiders, and the Watch with both hands to work the fields and rent. They could share the revenues equally between new Lords, Winterfell and the Watch; the lands were  poor, but still arable, and there were other resources to be found. The lands were vast and  could easily sustain at least three times more inhabitants than at the present.

Their talk then turned to a more personal matter:

“Lord Commander, I did offer your son, Ser Jorah, clemency for his crimes. He had also evaded my Justice, therefore before allowing him back, I charged him and my guards with an important mission. As soon as he completes his task, they are to return to Braavos and, from there, they will sail to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, where Ser Jorah is to enter the Watch. Jory Cassel is a man of my confidence and I left him the document with my seal, attesting your son can return under these conditions.”

“I am grateful, Lord Stark, for your generosity towards my family. The Gods know Jorah disgraced himself, but he is my son and The Watch needs men.”

Lord Commander was then interrupted by a knock on the door. “ You may enter.”

Before Eddard was the once solemn and guarded boy, who now had  grown into a very handsome man.

“Jon!”

They had been apart for many moon turns now; there was an awkward hesitation in the way Jon looked at Eddard, the only father he knew, but it did not lack for love. Jon smiled when he realized his father had come to him.

“Father.”

***

Eddard did not ask Jon why he had approached Maester Luwin about joining The Watch; he concluded he had been naive in allowing Catelyn power over the boy´s future. A mistake, but an honest one. Catelyn was his wife and knew her responsibilities. She had seized the chance to eliminate someone she considered a threat to the position of her son, Robb. 

Eddard would never forget that the woman he once loved allowed his son to leave for The Wall during his absence, robbing him the chance to talk to Jon, hear his reasons and properly say goodbye.

“Jon, I trust you have not taken your vows yet. You do have other options in life, you know that?”

“You left me behind, father. Uncle Benjen was here; he always said The Wall needed good men. It was my decision.”

_He is right; I should have brought him with me. How could I  have known?_

“You would never marry or father children, Jon. Is this what you really want? You have an education; you are well trained in arms. Essos has many sellswords companies that would welcome you. I am talking to the Lord Commander about The New Gift and developing it; I could have you in charge of one of the holdfasts if you wait a few years.”

His father was offering him options.

Life at The Wall was hard, unforgiving. Jon was surrounded by petty thieves, rapists, murderers. It was cold. It was only duty.

“You promised to talk about my mother.”

Eddard took a deep breath.

_Lyanna, I kept my promise. He is a man now._

“I went to look for my sister after the Rebellion. She had disappeared with three men of the Kingsguard. They were in hiding in Dorne. Ser Arthur Dayne would not let me reach that Tower. I could hear her screams.”

“You fought and defeated The Sword of the Morning.”

“No. I fought, but was defeated. Ser Arthur would have killed me, if not for Howland Reed. A knife on his back, Jon. There is no honour in war. It is kill or get killed. I went to the Tower. Lyanna was in pain. She made me promise, to protect her son from any harm. She wanted her son to grow as strong as her father and to become a good man, a better man. Robert would have killed all the Targaryens. Lyanna never loved Robert. Lyanna loved Rhaegar. They are your parents. Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.”

Eddard felt as if a part of his own life had ended. All these years he had lived by a promise and forced a helpless boy to be raised without knowing who he truly was. He worried about how Jon would react when he finally told him the truth of his origin, how would Jon feel: would he be angry? Would he be happy?

_Would Jon still want me as a father?_

When imagining this moment, Eddard never considered how the uttering the words would affect him, Eddard; he had spent half his life as Jon´s father. He loved Jon dearly.

Eddard was afraid that Jon would cease to love him.

How could he make Jon understand it was the only way? Robert would have killed the baby. He could not have trusted Catelyn with such a secret; not even Benjen knew the whole truth.

“Is Jon even my name?”

Eddard could not stop now.

“It is the name I gave you. Not the one your mother and father chose. Come with me to Moles town, please. There is a person - actually two - you should meet. They can tell you more about your family. “

 

***

Maester Aemon was an ancient man, but his mind was still sharp and his memory, almost intact.

The house where Daenerys was staying was not difficult to find, but Aemon´s old age made the way there take longer. He asked his steward for privacy and to wait for him nearby; Aemon would call for Whett when he needed him.

“May I come in? Are you alone there?”

Doreah had not yet returned and Dany opened the door herself; her great-great-great uncle was just as she had imagined. When Eddard had told her about Maester Aemon, she had wondered why he had not took steps to look for her and Viserys. Eddard explained the vows of a Maester and of the Night's Watch. Now it was also clear that Aemon was already an old man when they had fled to Essos.

Aemon was blind; Dany helped him walk and sit.

“I trust that Lord Stark told you about my vows, Daenerys. Please, forgive me for not have come to you sooner. I am also sorry about your brother, Viserys.”

Daenerys was holding the old man´s hand .“I thought I was alone in the world when he died. I did not know about you, uncle.”

“ A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. We are the last of our bloodline. We are the Blood of the Dragon.”

Daenerys silently agreed. “ I let you know I have dragon eggs. Three of them” She then opened the chest and allowed Aemon to touch the eggs.

“Oh.” The old Maester was pleased; his hands were steady and he carefully felt the scales of one of the eggs. “ It was our custom to place a dragon egg inside the cradle when a new Targaryen was born. In time, the egg would incubate and hatch. The new dragon would bond with its master. When I was born, the dragons were already gone from this world. Without their magic, the eggs turned to stone. But I felt…”

“The warmth?” Daenerys had always felt the eggs were, somehow, alive. Eddard had touched them and felt nothing.

“Yes, they are warm. Tell me, Daenerys, are you a dreamer too?”

“My dreams are different, uncle. I often dream with dragons. Today, before you arrived, I saw a very handsome man, a woman with a baby in her arms. He looked at me and said that the dragon has three heads.”

“You are a special woman, Daenerys. Trust your dreams. Our family was saved from Valyria because our ancestor, Daenys, had a dream. But they are also dangerous. Our blood is tied to our dragons; I saw my brother despairing at those dreams. He died a broken man. I believe he would have been sane if we still had dragons; they calm our nerves. Without dragons, we are incomplete. Dragonriders without dragons are a terrible thing. They say that the gods flip a coin every time a Targaryen was born. We are different from other men and our practices seem queer to them, but madness just started being a problem in our family after the dragons were killed.”

_Would Viserys be a different  and better person if we had dragons? Would our father be alive and sane?_

Daenerys wanted to believe so.

Maester Aemon shared some stories about their family; told her of his brother, Aegon V; of his uncles, Brynden Rivers and Aegor Rivers; the Tragedy of Summerhal. He also said he corresponded with Rhaegar about dragonlore and prophecies. 

Daenerys listened eargerly and did not feel the hours passing by.

***

They walked, rode to and arrived at Moles town in silence.

 _How strange it is to finally have the thing you always wanted and realize that you take no pleasure from it ?_ Jon supposed he could not blame his father. _Actually, my uncle._

There was some good news :Jon´smother mother loved him; Jon´s father had wanted him.

But there was a war and his life was in danger.

 _How could he tell me all those stories about King Robert´s bravery in battle, knowing the man would have killed me?_ The lie about his father, Prince Rhaegar, that he had kidnapped and raped his mother, now cut too deep. Jon knew his father, _uncle_ , had loved Robert Baratheon once as a brother,  and that the lies told about his real father were acting as a shield, hiding his own existence.

Looking back, Jon realized his uncle had never said anything negative about Rhaegar.

Still deep in his thoughts to notice anything, Eddard had to touch his shoulder and tell him to enter this small house and meet his family.

Jon was struck by the image of this young woman with beautiful purple eyes; she was fair of face and body, perhaps the fairest girl he had ever seen. The hair was dyed dark brown; he tried to imagine her with the silver locks her family, _his family_ , was famous for.

Besides her, was Maester Aemon. In the time Jon had spent at Castle Black, he had come to admire the old man tremendously. Now, he learned that they were actually related. _Had my father,_ **_uncle_ ** _, not returned, I could have lived by Maester Aemon´s side for years without ever knowing we share the same blood._

“Jon, I promised to tell you your name. Maester Aemon Targaryen, please meet your namesake." Eddard then turned to Jon. " Your name is Aemon.”

Jon immediatly understood; it would have been impossible to have kept his real name.

Somehow, he thanked the Gods he was not born with silver hair…

The old man was visibly touched and did not hold some tears. “ Oh, Rhaegar, you have honoured me. My poor nephew.”

***

Daenerys asked for Eddard to give the three of them some privacy; they did not know each other and yet, there was so much to learn, to know…

In a strange way, Dany felt like she was actually the Head of the Family: Aemon was too old and Jon had just learned of his parentage.

Trying to sound very dignified, Dany announced :“There is something else I would like to show you both.”

She then opened a case and produced a sword. She did not know anything about swords, but Valyrian steel was the stuff of legends. Elegant, light and lethal. Daenerys handedthe sword with care and passed it to Maester Aemon.

“A hand-and-half longsword. Valyrian steel. Two dragon heads on the pommel...is this?”

“Yes, it is Blackfyre. The same man who gave me the eggs had Blackfyre.”

Both Jon and Aemon had their mouths open, in admiration. 

Jon was now examining Blackfyre and Maester Aemon questioned Daenerys about the sword:

“What kind of man has dragons eggs and swords belonging to our family ?”

Dany told them all about Magister Illyrio; how he had brokered her marriage to Khal Drogo; how she had charged Eddard in saving his life and he had thanked her with the truth of his plans; that Ser Jorah Mormont and Jory Cassel were now in the Rhoyne River trying to locate Aegon Blackfyre and Jon Connington, and the deal Illyrio made with the Golden Company.

“Daenerys. Aemon. The dragon must have three heads...but I am too old to be one of you. My body has betrayed me. Mayhaps the Blackfyre boy will be the third head. Knowledge is a weapon. You should guard yourselves with knowledge. If you both stay, perhaps I can show the way...but not now. I should return to Castle Black.”

Both Dany and Jon helped the Maester to stand up and called for his steward to fetch him. Before he left, Maester Aemon hugged them both.

“ Perhaps I will dream tonight. My family is with me! Yes, I shall dream tonight.”

***

Dany had asked if Jon could stay a little longer before also returning to Castle Black; she suggested a walk, a break from the confinement of Moles town.

They were walking along the Kingsroad; the weather was good, milder than the one Dany had experienced on her way there.

“Jon, I have a gift for you. Actually, Brandon sent to you. But I kept him alive, so, the gift is also from me in a way.” Dany then pointed at the albino pup who was following them .

Jon picked the little one up and looked amused. “ What is his name?”

“ Well, that is a privilege reserved to its master. How will you call him?”

“He is all white and it looks like a ghost...so, his name is Ghost. How do you like that?”

Dany smiled. “ I thought you would name him in my honour, but Ghost is also a good option. Do you believe in ghosts?”

Jon frowned his forehead. “ Have you been talking to Old Nan lately? I suppose not." Jon put Ghost down. " One day, Robb and I were playing; I hid in the Crypts, all covered in flour. He brought our sisters down  and I jumped on them. They were very scared! “

They both laughed .“ Did you have much fun growing up, Jon ?”

Jon did not want to admit it; he was still mad at his father. But he could not imagine his childhood without his brothers and sisters; or Old Nan, Hodor and Mikken; the crypts, the pools and the godswood.

“Yes, I had. Sansa was a bit chilly towards me. She has been a lady since she was three. Arya is my favorite. When I left to The wall I gave her a sword. Brandon and Rickon , I miss them more than I could have imagined.... Robb and I used to play swords; he would be Florian the Fool; I would be Aemon, the dragonknight…”

Daenerys started laughing at the irony of it. “ And your name is Aemon…”

Jon fell silent for a second and then said:" I was raised as Jon, a bastard boy, used to sit at the table with the servants, Lady Stark not even saying my name…”

“ Jon, I understand. I really do. But you are lucky. I was born a Princess, but I was raised running from city to city, depending on courtesy and generosity of hosts who I barely knew. Viserys tried to raise me. It was too much for him to bear and he started beating me. Now, I live the life of a highborn bastard in name only; your father, the man who raised you and protect you, Eddard Stark, he might have given me a bastard name, but he treats me as a princess.”

Jon felt ashamed; it was true what Dany said. His father was Eddard Stark and he had tried his best.

“I apologise, Dany. I have not realized. You are right. It is just...to finally know who I am, where I come from, it is nothing like I have imagined. “

“I also did not get to know my parents; I know how you feel. At least you still have a father, an honourable man you can be proud of. Nobody can say my father was honourable…”

They stopped by a tree; Jon uncloaked himself and laid his cape at the base, making a gesture for Dany to sit on it. Ghost was trying to bite Jon´s boots, probably sharpening his fangs.

“You talk with great affection about Lord Stark…”

Dany looked at Jon and nodded. “I did not know he was Lord Stark when I met him, but I felt I could trust him. He saved me.”

“Why do you think he did that? “

“Partially because of you. He wanted to bring me here to meet you and Maester Aemon.” Dany paused. She did not want to lie, but also had no wish to shock him. “We...we developed an attachment, Jon.”

He was speechless for a moment. Jon had noticed that his father seemed distant from Lady Stark in the months prior to his departure to Essos. However, he would never have thought him to be capable of breaking his vows.

On the other hand, Daenerys was one of those rare beauties they write songs about.

“Please, do not look so hurt, Jon. We are only human beings; our hearts betrayed us. I care deeply for him and I believe he care for me too. But it is over.” Daenerys sounded sad, but resigned.

“I am not hurt, Dany. That is my face. Really, it is. I know, I look sullen most of the time. “ Jon was now smiling. He was spending time with Dany, _his aunt_ , sharing memories. Jon felt very comfortable with her. Yet ,they were just starting a friendship and there are things that only time would bring.

“Have you decided, Jon? Are you taking the vows? This would mean the end of our main line...”

“I am confused and I do not want to make any decision I might regret it. Lord Stark wishes me to return to Winterfell. I do not want to meet Robert. I did not know my father, Rhaegar, but Robert killed him. Lord Stark himself admits that the man would have killed me... ”

Daenerys picked up where he had left “...and you are afraid you would not be able to control yourself when faced with the usurper...Maybe you can stay at Moles town with me for the time being? Or at Castle Black, as a guest. Maester Aemon is old, we should try to spend time with him when it is still possible.”

 ***

Jon and Eddard returned to Castle Black; the young man still unsure of his future and the older man worried about the present.

They met Benjen Stark at The Wall and, in the cold, they talked about the past.

Both his uncles were against Jon taking the vows; Benjen told him he was once an idealist young man, but that basically he made the decision in grief; he believed in answering the call of the Watch, but he also wanted to run away from Winterfell and the memories of the place.

Eddard talked about other options and other responsibilities; Jon could assist Robb in the future either as a new Lord or advisor, or perhaps he could even aid his aunt on her quest.

Jon could also leave them all behind and start a new life.

It was all very tempting, yet, he was struggling.

Castle Black shocked him, at first. Jon had been raised as a noble, albeit a bastard one, and most of the recruits were from poor backgrounds, when not criminal ones. After a while, Jon started forming bonds and feeling a sense of belonging. It was a brotherhood. He took Samwell Tarly under his wing and was enjoying teaching and sparring with his friends.

Benjen told Jon he himself felt the same way when he arrived. Despite that, as the years passed, having duty as a wife and honour as a mistress took its toll and he admitted sufering from loneliness sometimes.

The next day, Lord Stark prepared to leave.

Jon approached his father: “Are you going to say goodbye to Dany, father? She told me about you two.”

Eddard did not look surprised to hear that. “How could I not, son? I love her still. I only gave her up because I want her to be happy. To meet a good man and have a family. Even that damm Throne she wants, I wish I could give it to her.”

Suddenly, Ned looked even older than his years. “ Thank you, son.”

“For what?”

“For calling me father again.”

***

Eddard asked the guards to take his horse to the stables and went straight to the godswood instead of crossing the walls of Winterfell.

He needed to pray.

A promise that had defined most of his life was fulfilled. Jon was now free to make his own choices. Eddard prayed Jon would find the strengh to make the right choices and not live in regret.

He had raised him well.

Jon Snow - Aemon- is a good man.

For that, he was thankful.

Eddard retrieved a piece of cloth from his sleeve.

Daenerys had given him her favor.

He asked if it was a fox; she laughed and apologised. "It is a wolf" she said "but I lack talent, I know."

They kissed before he left.

A farewell kiss and a hug. 

Eddard wanted more, but it was impossible.

Daenerys knew it and let him go.

 

Both would now start the rest of their lives as it should always be: apart.

It was the only way.

 


	6. From Winterfell to White Harbour - From Eastwach to Braavos: Eddard-Daenerys-Jon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The King and Queen find The North a cold place.  
> Robb Stark marries.  
> Dany goes to Braavos.  
> Jon meets Tyrion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I am following the timeline of the events as much as I can, but for dramatic reasons, some events are happening at a different time ( like the incident with Joffrey and the butcher´s boy), prompting the characters forward.

Eddard knew the King's visit would be a rather unpleasant affair but he was not prepared for this sort of nightmare.

They arrived and Robert, ever fat and drunk, dismonted from his horse. Truth be told, he tried his best to be joyful and even playfully adressed Eddard´s children- or at least the ones he remembered the names.

Eddard then saw a most hideous thing: a huge wheelhouse and, from inside, Queen Cersei emerged. She gave her hand for Eddard to kiss with such a face, as  if he were a dog, and looked at Winterfell and the Stark household with a condescending smile.

Eddard could see that Sansa was impressed with the Crown Prince, who while on his best behaviour, was obviously spoiled and proud, a Lannister through and through.

The queen´s fake smile was gone when Robert insisted in visiting Lyanna at the crypts.

For some moments, Eddard forgot about his differences with Robert and they both grieved together. The King was almost angry when Eddard confirmed Sansa was already betrothed- he could be excused from making it appear that it was already official- and somehow, Eddard managed to convince Robert they would talk later about the appointment of a new Hand.

The King seemed to think Jon Arryn's death was suspicious. The fever that took the old man was very sudden- he was being treated by his own personal Maester and it looked like a simple flu. It was not making much sense, until Robert mentioned that the Archmaester himself, Pycelle, took over the treatment.

Eddard sighted in relief he finally made to his chambers; other than his own ill feelings, the King's arrival was not a disaster.

The following days, though, were simply hell.

There was the fact that Prince Joffrey prefered to rely on his position and his guards to protect him and was useless with a sword; the Stark children being well trained, Joffrey was constantly feeling humiliated during trainings and would then lash out, bully or simply cry over to his mother.

But there was also Robert: taking liberties with maids and other lowborn women at every single opportunity he had or getting too drunk and emotional, telling Eddard about how he despaired of Joffrey, his ineptitude and cruelty

The worst, however, was Brandon falling from the broken tower and not waking up.

Still, a King was at Winterfell and, instead of supporting his family and praying for Brands recovery, Eddard had to go hunting, entertain and indulge his so called friend.

***  
The Queen was furious; her boy had been attacked!

She urged the King to do something. Those direwolves were dangerous and had to be put down before Lord Stark and his daughters were to join the royal retinue on its progress.

Joffrey had told them and Lord Stark how a lowborn boy had attacked him; how the wolf tried to haul him. Lady Sansa confirmed; Lady Arya was obviously mad.

  
Lord Stark had told the girls to go to their rooms, Arya grounded until they were to leave. Cersei thought too light of a punishment, but they were guests at Winterfell. It would reflect badly on her if she publicly pressured Lord Stark; he had apologised, after all, and she had accepted it.

Later, Lord Stark and Robert came to her solar.

Cersei could see the cold in those grey eyes.

“Your Grace, I believe you asked for my daughter's pet to be slaughtered because you fear they might attack your children when we are on the road.”

“Yes, Lord Stark, I think it is for the best.“

“It will not be necessary, your Grace; we are not joining your progress through the country. I will escort Lady Sansa to Highgarden myself, but I decided to take a ship from White Harbour to King's Landing. From there, we will continue to the Reach.”

Cersei did not care for Lord Stark. She thought Robert was crazy to have come all this way to visit his friend. The North was a frozen wasteland.

“ Ned, Lady Sansa's betrothal has not been announced; you could still write to Mace Tyrell and inform him the King has requested your daughter and would not be denied. Damm it, I came here to have our families together.

Lady Sansa looked up to Cersei and was always trying her best to please her. The little dove would have made a good wife to Joffrey, she would listen and obey Cersei; Sansa would just bear her boy´s sons and be Queen in name only.

“It is not meant to be, Your Grace; Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella made friends with Rickon and Brandon; I am sure when Bra wakes up, he will be glad to play with them. However, let us not fool ourselves; my eldest and Prince Joffrey do not see eye to eye; Arya is very unhappy about today´s...incident and Sansa is a very proper and good natured young lady. But she is betrothed to Lord Willas, they even correspond to each other. I gave my word to Lord Tyrell. The announcement will be made at Robb´s wedding. “

Lord Tyrell would have broken any negotiations for a chance to have his grandsons sitting on the Iron Throne; not Lord Stark, though. Robert all but begged. Cersei wished she was a man. _I am the one with the balls here; he just has...horns. Such a pathetic, fat, fool drunk!_

After this talk, it was not difficult to convince Robert to leave Winterfell. The visit was shortened; the King had to attend important business in the Capital and was sad he would not be able to attend to his namesake´s wedding.

Tyrion Lannister, however, decided to journey not south, but north, as he wished to see The Wall with his own eyes and piss on the edge of the world.

***  
Ned already spoke to Arya privately and explained he believed her accounts of the event, but had to save the Royal family from embarrassment; they were hosting them and there are certain traditions they uphold that are sacred. When Arya confirmed him she was very angry at Sansa for having lied, Ned pointed out he could smell the wine in her eldest daughter; one´s perceptions get rather disturbed by alcohol and Sansa was, he admitted, smitten with Joffrey, who had charmed her.

Arya insisted she should not be the one grounded; Ned agreed, but wanted to keep her and Nymeria out of Joffrey's sight, for the time being. The King felt his family was creating too much of a chaos and had decided to leave as soon preparations were done.

Surprisingly, the hardest part was Sansa.

“Sansa, why you disobeyed me? You are not to drink strong wine, just watered. You are still under my protection. Prince Joffrey is just a boy, but it is clear he is not going to grow up to be a man; even the man who raised him knows it. “

“I am sorry, father. Mother told me I would not be breaking protocol if I was to accompany Prince Joffrey on a walk. Queen Cersei said I am to attend the Court and she wanted me to be friends with the princes and the princess.”

Cersei was not known for being a kind person; yet she was beautiful, poised and was showing interest in Sansa, who was very inexperienced in the things of the world. Cersei might be using the obvious fascination to impress Sansa and she was known to indulge her son´s whims; the boy clearly know Sansa was betrothed, but it did not seem to be bothered by the fact and demanded her attention.

“You are corresponding with Lord Willas; how you find him? “ Ned asked, trying not the first time to understand the head of a young girl.

“ Yes, father. He has been telling about life in The Reach and promised to take me to the Hightower when I arrive. I tell him about the North; he is very nice.”

“Are you not pleased with the match? I trust nothing improper happened between you and the Crown Prince.”

Sansa's eyes betrayed; something more did happened. Ned reassured her he would not blame her, provided she would tell the truth.

“I am very happy with the match. I am sorry, father. Queen Cersei told me a betrothal not officially announced could be broken and that you probably just reached out to the Tyrell's because you were too humble to assume that Prince Joffrey would be amenable to the match.” Sansa could not face her father anymore and lowered her eyes. “ Prince Joffrey did...kiss me.”

A first adult kiss must be a very important event in any girl´s life and Ned was sorry to hear it.

“Sansa, look at me. Queen Cersei and Prince Joffrey are very beautiful people. They have power, social standing and gold. I admit the idea of you becoming queen one day would have tempted me. A Stark would be good enough for a Baratheon- or any Lannister. The reason I approached Lord Tyrell was much stronger than ambition: I want you to marry a man worthy of you, someone who you will make you happy. Lord Willas is not only heir to Highgarden, but a good man for what I heard. Prince Joffrey was not a good child, is not a good young man and I would be surprised if he would grow to be a decent adult. “

Ned could see the shock in Sansa's eyes; her dreams would be broken, but better now than later.

“ Prince Joffrey just gets angry sometimes, that is all. Queen Cersei told me…”

“No, Sansa, I told you before they came and I will tell now. You are to be married to Lord Willas. Even King Robert worries about Joffrey and the future of the Realm when he is to ascend the Throne. You are intent to only see the good in them; you have a good heart, Sansa, but do not let it fool you. Queen Cersei and Joffrey asked me to slaughter Nymeria and Lady. If I was to break my word and send you to King's Landing with them, they would kill Lady.”

Sansa felt silent, trying to fight the tears. Lady. “Oh. No, please. I apologise father. I am happy with Lord Willas. I am very sorry I caused you trouble. I will behave, you have my word.”

Ned had both of girls together; Arya was still angry and Sansa, hurt.

“Listen, the both of you: soon Sansa is to leave. She will be a Tyrell and her loyalty, her husband´s. I know you do not want to think about it, but one day Arya, you will also leave Winterfell. You will be far from each other. But you will always be sisters. You should learn to trust each other now in spite of your differences, and enjoy your girlhood while it is possible. Winter is coming- the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. “

***

The Manderlys had arrived for the wedding and were surprised to find that King Robert had already left.

Catelyn tried her best to warm herself to Wylla and train the young woman to one day replace her as Lady of Winterfell, but her mind was elsewhere. She would spend every spare time by Brandon´s side, praying and asking for a miracle. The tragedy made Ned and Catelyn , at least temporarily, forget about their differences and work together as a family.

Winterfell was once again, hosting Lords and Ladies; however, since Brandon was still on a coma, the feasting was somewhat subdued.

Aside from a couple of his bannermen he never had the best of relationships, like Lord Karstark and Lord Bolton, Lord Stark managed to have interesting conversations regarding northern affairs and his impressions of the Royal visit. Unsurprisingly, he found that Umbers, Mormonts, The Clans and Glovers shared common goals and aspirations for The North.

Wylla Manderly and Robert Stark exchanged vows at Winterfell Sept, as the bride kept faith with the New Gods; from there there was the traditional ceremony in front of the heart tree at the Godswood and then, they went to feast at the Great Hall, where Lord Stark announced the betrothal of Lady Sansa and Lord Willas Tyrell.

Eddard noticed that Arya was talking rather enthusiastically with Theon Wull, one of Lord Hugo of the Wull Clan sons. He approached Arya the next morning :

“ I trust you have fun at the feast last night. The Wull boy, did you find him, agreeable?”

Arya looked confused. _Perhaps I should ask Catelyn to have this sort of conversation.”_ What do you mean? We were just talking, father.”

“Arya, remember what we talked about? That soon Sansa will be leaving Winterfell? Well, it will come a day where you will also leave.”

“No. I don't want to be the Lady of a Castle. That is not me!”

Eddard had anticipated this reaction. “Yet, you are a highborn lady, Arya. Your life is privileged, but there is a price to pay. Do not despair; there are other ways you can bring honour to House Stark. I intend on finding you a match that would value the strength in women, someone who does not need a lady for a wife. Life is a very long time to be by yourself, Arya; it is nice to have somebody you can share warmth.”

Arya understood this conversation was unavoidable. “Father, I don't want to marry a silly Lord of a silly Lord´s son. Jon gave me a sword; I am very good at. I want to learn how to fight.”

Arya showed her father needle; he laughed at the name his daughter chose.

“We are soon going to White Harbour and from there to King's Landing; I could not have denied King Robert when he asked me to stay some time there and attend the Small Council. I could arrange for you to have water dancing classes.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. You do not need to marry a Lord or his son; you could stay here, in the North and be wed to one of the Clans. Women are supposed to be able to defend themselves and be tough enough to survive their winters, they would not want a proper Lady. Or even Dorne. House Nymeros-Martell, the line directly descended from your Princess Nymeria…”

Arya´s eyes quickly widened in wonder. “ Sansa will get even madder at me if I am to be a princess. She already calls me horseface…”

Eddard kissed Arya on the forehead. “ And you pull pranks on her; Sometimes it is not easy to have siblings, Arya, but we do not get to choose family. We can only be glad and try our best. You are beautiful, Arya. But I doubt Sansa will get mad at you.”

Returning to his chambers, Lord Stark found his Lady wife. She wanted to talk.

“Ned, I received a letter from Lysa; she said the Lannisters poisoned Jon Arryn…”

His wife urged him to attend the Small Council for a longer period of time as Ned had planned; he had only agreed to King Robert´s request that he at least helped to manage the Realm while he stayed at king's Landing because he understood he had denied his old friend too many. He thought he would arrange some sort of excuse and depart as soon as possible.

This changed his plans once again.

***

Eddard, Sansa, Arya and many of his guards departed to White Harbour the next day. Sansa tearfully said her farewells to family and friends, leaving some tokens behind to her best friends, Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel. Brandon was still comatose, but showed some signs of recovery according to Maester Luwin.

Septa Mordane was the only other woman Lord Stark had allowed to accompany them; he insisted their stay in King's Landing would not be an extended one, but busy enough for him to have more unwed young women under his care. He also felt that if Arya and Sansa were to spend more together just the both of them, a stronger bond would develop. It was the last chance they would have.

Lord Stark asked his wife to inform him as soon as Brandon would wake up. It was agreed Catelyn would leave Winterfell at Robb and Wylla´s hands and travel south with more members of their household to attend Sansa's wedding.

The weather was milder and they managed to make it to White Harbour in a sennight and a day.

***  
Jon decided to escort Daenerys to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. They had spent a fortnight on this strange routine of trying to compress all their past experiences, hopes for the future, dreams and tribulations into the little time they had.

Daenerys had her plans and ambitions and could not stay any day longer; Jon was still trying to find his path, but felt strongly about The North and had no desire to leave when he was just starting to know who he was. He would have put his feelings past him and accompany Dany to Braavos to protect her, if his father had not let her security the hands of Cayn, a very trustworthy guard.

The anger at his father had passed; now he wanted answers from Eddard. He had been there at Harrenhal and at the Tower of Joy. Why had he not trusted Catelyn with the secret and allowed his wife to hate Jom so much?

Would his father fight at his side if Jon was to help Daenerys claiming the Iron Throne?

He had been talking with Daenerys and Maester Aemon about his newfound family; they had discussed dragon lore and his father, Rhaegar´s  obsession with prophecy. Daenerys insisted she would at least try to reclaim her birthright; she felt not only the need to clean their family´s name from the tragedy of her father´s reign but she was also convinced she would be forced to spend the rest of her life running away from the Baratheons.

“ You, nephew, would also need to spend the rest of your life being a Snow. Lord Stark protected you so far, but now you are on your own. You would have to keep on lying until the day you would die. “

It was true; he knew it.

He was tired of lies.

Aemon, son of Rhaegar, would only be safe from Robert Baratheon´s wroth either away from sight in Essos; at the Night's Watch, where his vows would protect him, or with Daenerys on the throne.

For the time being, Jon decided to go from Eastwatch to Winterfell and talk with Eddard.

They arrived and were received by Commander Cotter Pyke; Lord Stark had made arrangements for Blackbird, a galley of the Night's Watch, to be crewed. The ship would take Daenerys to Braavos and bring Ser Jorah Mormont back to Eastwatch so he could take his vows as a brother of The Watch.

“ Take care, nephew. And take care of Ghost! You were howling last night and woke me up; I thought it was ghost, but he had gone for a night walk.” Daenerys was trying to be cheerful, but she worried. I hope he will make the right decision. ”So, this is goodbye then”

“Not for long, I expect. “ Suddenly, Jon felt a pang in his heart. How can I let her go like this. I should be fighting with her instead of going back to where I started. But how can I move forwards, when I still want to know more ?

**A decision.**

“Aunt, when you come back, all you need to do is to send for me. I will be there.”

***  
Daenerys arrived at Braavos and went to the house near the Hangman´s Harbour she had rented as her official residence in the city before sailing for Westeros. Eddard had told her about The North, how vast were the distances and that The Neck was their natural border; however, no ravens were capable of finding the crannogmen´s moving castles and communications were scarce.

Eddard liked Dany´s idea of having a place well located enough in a area of good movement to be a meeting point and realized he could write the Citadel for a Maester be sent to such a place at the entrance of The Neck; this way not only ravens could be sent and retrieved by scouts, but also nearby populations would have access to a maester's services.

Ser Jorah and Jory Cassel were already waiting for her.

“We did locate Illyrio's son, Your Grace. However, Jon Connington did not believe what he had to say and would not allow us near the boy. “

Daenerys did not want to show any disappointment at the news. _It is only a temporary setback; Aegon does not even know the truth yet._

“Did you show him the letter Illyrio wrote? Did you tell him I have Blackfyre to prove Aegon´s mother was Serra Blackfyre and therefore, he has the allegiance of the Golden Company? And that I have all intentions of restoring both of our Houses?”

“Yes, I did, but Jon Connington said you should have come in person and not send us. We told him there was gold in Braavos and Pentos for the boy, but he would not listen. He wants you to go down there and convince him. “

If it has to be done, I will do it.

***  
Jon ended up returning to Castle Black; on his way to Winterfell, he heard news that Lord Stark was going south and not even the wish to see Robb as a married man and to be at Brandon´s side when he was to wake up would make the prospect of meeting Lady Stark once again an attractive one.

He arrived at the same day than Tyrion Lannister.

“ Are you Lord Stark´s bastard?”

Jon was just too tired of hearing the word. _Bastard_

He protested, but The Imp had a way with words

“Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget who you are…”

Jon stopped listening. No, I will not forget who I am. Son of Lyanna and Rhaegar.

Tyrion was unlike his family, Jon had heard. The man liked to read and whore all the same. Although Jon did not share the same appetites, he could not deny his stories were funny.

***

Lady Catelyn did not see other way than of disobeying her Lord husbands command.

An assassin had dared to make an attempt of Bran's life.

He left a dagger. A Valyrian steel dagger.

She did not have time to lose; she would go to White Harbour, take a ship to Kings Landing and tell Ned in person.

Her childhood friend, Petyr Baelish, was now sitting at the Small Council.

Petyr would help.


	7. Red Comet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final part of GoT events is here.  
> Action packed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys,
> 
> Timeline is slightly changed for dramatic purposes.
> 
> Full disclosure here: I set myself a challenge and I am writing one chapter a day, Mon-Fri. At least that is what I am aiming, not sure if I will make it happen. It is marathon; sometimes it might seem rushed, but I have done it once with another fic I wrote Storm in the North and it was cool!
> 
> Do not be rude or bring that old "leftover" stuff again, please!

 Jon Snow never met somebody like Tyrion Lannister.

They were on the top of The Wall,  staring into the immense white waste when Tyrion unlaced his breeches.

“ It is true then; you only came this far North to piss on the edge of the world!”

Tyrion just smiled, very pleased with himself for such an accomplishment.

The imp was to depart in the coming days and the fact raised questions regarding Jon Snow own presence and status at Castle Black. After all, he  arrived as a recruit and was expected to be trained and take his vows.

Yet, here Jon was, as a guest.

When his uncle, Benjen, left on a ranging party, Jon himself started to think on his next step.

His thoughts would often turn to Dany and her plan. _How am I to help her claim the Iron Throne?_

Maester Aemon was fond of saying that knowledge was a weapon and Jon did spend long hours with his great-great uncle at the Library and helping him with his duties, acting as a sort of steward. However, he felt his intelectual efforts it was hardly enough.

_No matter how many hours I read and listen, there are things that I will learn only by experience. Will I have time ?_

The day arrived; Jon asked Tyrion to deliver letters to his brothers at Winterfell. Yoren would be travelling with him and they planned on making a stop at the Castle. Tyrion had even worked on a special saddle that would allow Brandon to ride a horse, if he was to wake up and be paralysed. Jon could only hope it would work; he had lost faith in his brother ever walking again. 

“Farewell, Jon Snow. Try not to freeze your bastard arse here.” Tyrion was not a sentimental man, but Jon could hear some affection in his voice.

"Mayhaps you should stay and take vows and I should be the one leaving."

Jon would sometimes make attempts at humour; this one actually made Tyrion laugh.

"Not today, bastard! I have whores to visit!"

Tyrion left and Jon stayed behind with his thoughts:

 _Perhaps it was a mistake staying in The North_ . _But how could I have left?_

Jon felt somehow there were more things he wanted to know that only his father could tell him. And Brandon was still in a coma. He prayed his little brother would soon wake up.

 

***

True to his promise, Ned arranged for Arya to have water dancing lessons with Syrio Forel, a former First Sword of Braavos. His plan of improving the relations between both of his daughters was bearing fruits: the last sennight of their trip was a very pleasant one and the fights, pranks and screaming all but ceased.

Septa Mordane would sometimes earnestly complain about Arya´s less than ladylike behaviour, but Eddard noticed how it did not seem to affect his younger daughter much. _Sansa, on the other hand, would be devasted; she craves approval._

Eddard could not but wonder how two sisters would be so different from each other. 

At that moment, he was glad they were behaving; it was tiresome to be in the middle of two girls constantly at war. 

They were given chambers fitting their position in The Red Keep and Lord Stark was soon attending Small Council meetings at the King's request.

The original plan of resigning and leaving to The Reach had been an illusion. He soon found out that the  Crown was in huge debt to, among others, the Iron Bank of Braavos and, in spite of this fact, King Robert continued to spend extravagantly . Robert had insisted on a Tourney to celebrate the Royal Family's return and the arrival of Lord Stark in Kings Landing.

_He only  needed an excuse really, to keep his mind off the real work, to dull the pain of an empty heart._

Had Lord Stark accepted the Hand of the King position, this would have been a tourney on his sole honour, he concluded.

Eddard pitied the man his childhood friend had become; Lord Stark disapproved of a King unwilling to rule.

 _Would Dany make a better ruler?_ Eddard was confident she would at least try to rule _. She sure has the mind for it._

 _How many would have to die for her to take the Iron Throne?_ War was imminent; the heirs were illegitimate; Lannisters would never accept Cersei being put aside; Jon Arryn was dead and Lord Stannis had left to Dragonstone, but soon he would make his move.

Lord Varys was working from within to undermine the Baratheons. Lord Stark sensed Varys knew he had found Daenerys, but was sticking to the official version: Viserys was killed by her husband, Khal Drogo, who  then proceded to sack Pentos.

From Pentos, the Khalasar left to the Red Waste and that Free City opened negotiation with Braavos, requesting the end of the military sanctions the braavosi had imposed, as the attack showed how the pentoshi were in a vulnerable position.

The report also added that Daenerys was last seen in Braavos, where she was supposed to take residence.

Grand Maester Pycelle seemed to believe the threat was over: no woman would sit on the Iron Throne. Lord Stark had to agree with the assessment, knowing pretty well Daenerys was only biding her time.

After this first meetins, Lord Renly approached Lord Stark and showed him a  well crafted portrait of a doe eyed, brown haired, very pretty girl.

“There are some people who thinks she looks like your late sister, Lyanna.” Renly could not hide a certain smug smile; Eddard realized he must have known something about Queen Cersei.

“No, there is no resemblance. My daughter Arya shares a similarity to Lyanna. “ The smile on Renly´s face vanished when confronted with the reality; who would know better about Lyanna than Eddard himself?

Renly thought himself subtle, but Eddard know knew  the King's brother already had a candidate for the role of Queen, a replacement for Cersei  Margaery Tyrell.

 ***

A couple of days after his arrival, Eddard was approached by Petyr Baelish, saying they had a common friend in the city. The Master of Coin then brough Eddard to one his brothels.

“ I apologise, Lord Stark, but here is the only place I could think of where the walls have no ears.”

Catelyn produced a Valyrian Steel dagger and told them about the attempt on Brandon's life; the scars on her hands showed her struggle to protect their son.

Eddard´s heart was heavy. His boy needed his father and his mother, and they were both away from home. Eddard playing the game of thrones and Catelyn trying to find Justice.

" Ned, you should trust Petyr. He will help you, he promised me. "

Catelyn handed Baelish the blade for a closer inspection and asked if he knew its owner.

Lord Baelish nodded .“ I know this blade, Cat; It used to belong to Lord Tyrion.”

Eddard urged Catelyn to return to Winterfell at once and inform Robb to work alongside Lord Manderly to raise their defenses; Moat Cailin and Howland reed had to be informed they were to prepare.

Under no circumstances, Theon Greyjoy should be left out of sight.

“Catelyn, do not stop for longer than the necessary and try to cross The Neck as fast as you can. Robb will need your council.”

 ***

The tourney brought little joy to anyone in attendance. Sandor Clegane was named the champion , having saved Ser Loras life. Everybody cheered him and Joffrey's sworn shield  earned enough gold to retire, if he wished to. Robert had insisted in offering very generous prizes for the winners.

When he returned to his chambers, Ned finally received the news he had been waiting.

"Sansa, Arya  Brandon has awoken. He will be fine, but will not walk again."

After a small dinner celebrating the news, Ned resumed work: he sent ravens to Lord Stannis, asking him to come back to Kings Landing to discuss Lord Arryn´s death.

Somehow, Eddard did not trust  Lysa´s account of the events.

Lord Arryn knew the truth about Cersei Lannister, but he was also a meticulous man who knew how to keep secrets.

_I should just resign and tell Robert to ask Stannis to come at once._

The next day, Yoren arrived from The Wall, to collect prisoners from King's Landing and escort them to Castle Black. 

The crow brought terrible news.

_Others take her! Catelyn abducted Lord Tyrion and is demanding Justice. My hand is forced._

_I should never have come south. Starks do not do well in the South._

Westerlands forces were already attacking the Riverlands, in retaliation to this act.

To make matters worse, Ser Jaime Lannister confronted Lord Stark and demanded his brother to be released immediatly.

In the confrontation, Jaime injured Eddard´s leg. 

In the midst of political turmoil, King Robert was out. Hunting. Distracting himself from the problems.

The King came back earlier than anticipated, _dying_.

What nobody had predicted happened: King Robert decided to change his will last minute, mentioning only an heir- not Joffrey by name- and making Lord Stark Protector of the Realm.

_Robert, what have you done?_

Feeling the situation was beyond repair, Ned informed his daughters they would be shipped to safety.

Before he knew, Eddard was imprisoned.

***

_I am stupid, stupid girl. Why did I have to go and say goodbye to Queen Cersei? Father is disgraced now. I can't leave the room! I can't go anywhere!_

Her father had been right all along and Sansa was now paying for her "good heart" as he had predicted.

Sansa was left alone in her chambers for some time, until Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard came.

She was brought to the small council room where Queen Cersei was waiting for her.

Sansa was scared. _What will happen to me? What have I done?_

In the end, Sansa was told to write a letter to his brother Robb, convicing him their father was a traitor and that Robb is to keep the King's peace.

The North should swear fealty to Joffrey or face the consequences.

“I do not how to write this letter, Your Grace.” Sansa was honest; how could she say her own father was wrong and that Joffrey is the rightful King? _I should have listened to my father._

Queen Cersei only smiled. “ I will tell you the words, Sansa. You just need to write the letter.”

“Will I be allowed to see father?

“No. Traitors do not get visits.”

It was only when she was back at her chambers that Sansa realized, to her astonishment, she had not asked about Arya.

The next days were even worse.

Members of their household were being killed and Robb was marching south with his host.

When Joffrey started to hear petitions, Sansa thought it was her chance.

She wore the same dress she was wearing when Joffrey had kissed her.

_Perhaps he will show mercy because he has feelings for me._

After Ser Barristan Selmy was dismissed , Sansa approached the King.

She had practiced her words and said them with conviction

The Queen could not have looked more bored: “ Sansa, you disappoint me. I should have expected it. What did I tell you about traitor's blood?”

“ His leg was broken and Grand Maester Pycelle was giving him milk of the poppy. We all know it clouds one's judgement. Somebody must have lied to him. Renly Baratheon, perhaps Stannis. I know he must be punished, but I ask mercy for my father, your Grace”

Joffrey smiled. “ Your words moved me. If your father confesses, I shall grant him mercy. “

***

_Eddard was in the darkness, dying. A boy wearing a crown asks for his head. Daenerys sees herself riding a dark grey dragon. Eddard calls her._

The Blackbird was to leave Braavos and sail back to Eastwatch. The deal Lord Stark made with the Watch was clear and they would need their galleys to continue patrolling the eastnorthern waters.

Daenerys, however, had unfinished business in Essos.

She decided that Cain, the guard swore to House Stark, was to return and inform Commander Pyke that Mormont would return on another ship with Dany and Jory.

Jory wanted to leave to Westeros at once; Ser Jorah was reluctant:

“Do you plan to seek the Blackfyre boy now? He is living in this village, we could escort you there, Your Grace “

Daenerys had other plans:

“Magister Illyrio left me one of his ships. It is called Balerion. The other two are to be Aegon´s; I will have to meet him, but at a later stage. I say we go back to Pentos now that the Horde has left the city. From there, I want to pay a visit to Lord Varys. I fear for Lord Stark´s life.”

The idea did not please Ser Jorah. “ My safe condut is only valid for The North, Your Grace. “

_And I have no safe condut at all._

“ We will be incognito and we wont be staying for long.”

They had heard troubling news from Kings Landing; apparently, the war Eddard had told her about was to start.

Dany knew it was a risky move.

_“Trust your dreams.”_

They did not dock at the Harbour; Jory went on a boat to the shores, looking for Varys.

Sooner than she had expected, Dany was face to face with The Spider.

She decided to act with caution around him.

“Your Grace, I bring you troubling news, I am afraid. Lord Stark lies in a dungeon. Lady Arya, fortunately, ran from the Red Keep. I am still looking for her. Lady Sansa has been held as hostage and Robb Stark marches south.”

_I knew it was true; Eddard is imprisioned!_

“ Lord Varys, I want to thank you for what you have done, saving the life of my nephew.”

Varys was taken by surprise :“I did what I could, for the Realm. Not even I thought Lord Lannister would kill Princess Elia and Rhaenys; they were defenseless women, I believed they would be ransommed by Dorne or sent to Motherhouses.”

_He does not know about Illyrio and Aegon._

“Lord Varys, tell me: what will happen now? How could we help them escape.”

“Lady Sansa has asked for mercy, but King Joffrey has been killing members of the Stark household every day now. Her pet has been slaughtered and the King now wears its furs. Lord Stark is dying; his wounds are not healing properly. Queen Cersei wants the boy to send Lord Stark to The Wall. I am not sure if he will live for much longer. It is all going too fast and too soon. You and Aegon should wait.”

_If he is dying, he should go back North, to be interred in Winterfell._

“ Lord Varys, please, do everything possible to save Lady Sansa and ensure that Lady Arya reaches a place of safety, if you can.”

Dany then asked if Varys could have Ser Jorah and Jory be arrested and brought to where Eddard was, or infiltrate the black cells.

Jory offered to change garbs with Lord Stark; they had same built and general appearance.  Lord Varys himself said the plan could work, which gave Dany hope. He also promised to try to free Lady Sansa himself, using one of his many secret identities.

Daenerys waited.

In the dead of the night, a boat with two men approached _Balerion._

Varys was not lying; Eddard was delirious with fever and too weak to lift his arm. The  Master of Whispers sent Dany a message through Ser Jorah: they were to leave immediatly and not turn back. Lady Sansa was in an emotional state and he would have been discovered if he were to carry her himself. The King just wanted Lord Stark to publically recant the accusations; hopefully, Cassel would be dirty enough and weak enough for anyone to take notice. Or care; Cersei Lannister would not want people to know she lost such a valuable prisioner.

Ser Jorah helped Dany clean and change Eddard. She and Doreah tended to his wounds and tried to make him comfortable, feeding him with bread crumbles dripped in wine.

The way to White Hrabour was too long; the would have to make a stop at Pentos and Dany would seek proper medical assistance there.

 ***

The courtiers at the Red Keep talked only about one thing: how Lord Renly Baratheon now styled himself King Renly and had married Lady Margaery Tyrell at Highgarden.

_In King Joffrey´s eyes, I am not only the daughter of a traitor, but now bethroted to one._

Sansa was now a disgraced ward of the Crown. 

_This wedding at Highgarden; the Tyrel Cloak... It should have been my wedding. Father walking with me,  at the Sept. If I were not such a fool, a stupid girl..._

Sansa could have endured the humiliations and Joffrey taunting her, wearing that garb adorned with the pelt from Lady , if it would bring her father back.

But it was not to be.

Joffrey´s mercy was cruelty.

“ Ser Ilyn, bring me his head.”

After the beheading, Sansa refused to eat, crying herself to sleep, only to have nightmares where over and over again, she had refused to believe her father and sister. At least, Queen Cersei forbade her father´s head to be put on a spike. _But Septa Mordane...poor woman!_

Joffrey continued to play with his favorite toy: one day he stripped Sansa almost naked in front of the Court and had his Kingsguard beat her.

It was the day when Robb defeated the Lannisters and captured Jaime.

_Joffrey´s father._

The only one who refused to hit Sansa and tried to protect her, as a Knight would, was Sandor Clegane.

_Robb is now King in The North. My brother will save me. Better be soon._

But it was not to be.

Friendless. Disgraced. Dispossessed.

 ***

The healer in Pentos told Daenerys the only thing to do was to keep Eddard alive and hope his body would respond to the treatment.

The man was, however, very clear this outcome was very unlikely.

The Magisters were now in possession of Illyrio´s Manse and Dany stayed mostly aboard _Balerion_. 

News of the beheading of Lord Stark had reached the harbour, as Pentos was very close to Kings Landing.

_Poor Jory Cassel. I only hope Varys found Arya and will help Sansa._

The crew resupplied _Balerion_ and they set sail.

“Mayhaps it would be best if we are to stop over at Braavos instead of Gulltown.” Ser Jorah had suggested.

They did not know the situation at The Vale. Daenerys agreed with Jorah.

The days passed, and she kept tending to Eddard; changing the bed linnen, cleaning his body, feeding him.

Dany´s only comfort were her eggs and the dragon dreams. She still clinged to hope until she remembered Ser Willem Darry:

_It was like this; he wasted away in a bed._

In Braavos, they heard that Robb Stark was acclaimed King in the North; Renly Baratheon was also styling himself King, married Margaery Tyrell and had an Army to fight for his claim; it was only a matter of time until Stannis Baratheon would do the same.

_It is happening as Eddard said it would and as fast as Lord Varys feared._

The waters at White Harbour were too dangerous; apparently there was a blockade since The North had declared independence.

“Better to sail to Eastwatch then. The Night´s watch is supposed to stay neutral and they receive ships from all over, as they do trade.”

The supplies were not enough for the trip however and they were forced to sail back to Braavos.

***

Benjen did not return.

Lord Commander Mormont had dispatched his First Ranger to search for some missing brothers and investigate the activities of Mance Rayder, now King-Beyond-The-Wall.

_Mayhaps my uncle has managed to infiltrate the free folk. He cannot be dead!_

Soon, they found the bodies of the men Benjen had took with him. The corpses were moved to Castle Black for inspection.

_What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger._

The sentence never made much sense in Jon´s mind; it was only a queer saying of the Ironborn, something that Theon would sometimes intone.

However, that night, seeing Jeor Mormont fight against a dead body forced Jon to believe the unbelievable.

_Old Nan had been right all along; The Others are real!_

In retribution for saving his life, Jeor Mormont gifted Jon with Longclaw, the Valyrian Steel sword of House Mormont.

“ A bastard sword for a bastard.”

Jon started to pay more attention to the legends and stories of his youth. Maester Aemon confirmed everything he had heard was real.

“You have a direwolf as a pet, Jon. They say the Starks were powerfull wargs, capable of wearing the skin of wolves. Direwolves were thought to be extinct. You saw the dragon eggs: they were warm. Magic is coming back, Jon. Summer will be over soon; a very short Autumm will follow. Winter is upon us, Jon. The Others will bring the cold with them.”

When news came from thesouth of his father´s execution, Jon Snow decided it was time to leave to Winterfell.

“Why are you going now that you saw it for yourself? The only war that matters is the one we are fighting here!”  Lord Commander was right; Jon had no intention in staying south; it even made him think twice about fighting for the Iron Throne when Daenerys would call for him. But fight he would;  she had his word. 

_I will tell Daenerys about The Others when time comes._

Jon had to tell Lord Commander his reasons for leaving:

“I will come back and fight. But I have to go. Now. Robb marches south with his host. Lady Stark is also south. Brandon is a cripple and Rickon is a child. I need to protect them.” 

***

On their way to Eastwach, Eddard suddenly woke up.

He was now thin and frail, not the man Daenerys knew.

But he was alive.

“Dany! It was so dark... I dreamt of you... Where is Arya? And Sansa?”

Daenerys gave him water and kissed his forehead.

_I cannot lie to him._

“I contacted Varys and asked him to help us. Arya managed to escape, but we do not know the exact whereabouts. Sansa is still in the Red Keep; Varys tried to alert her we were waiting to escape, but the usurper´s son had just slaughtered Lady and was killing a member of your household per day. She was too scared and would not leave her room. But Robb is marching south and they say he has Jaime Lannister. We hope they will exchange hostages soon. We left Jory at your place in the cell, with your clothes. He was to be sent to The Wall, that was the deal you were offered. Nobody, at least publically,  recognized Jory. We thought he would be safe now, but...he was beheaded in your place. The North has declared independence. Renly Baratheon married Margaery and is calling himself King. It is war. “

Daenerys convinced Eddard to sleep more; she was also tired. She laid by his side and held his hand.

The next day, she heard members of the crew talking.

“They said he woke up; the man is dying. He either starts to walk and talk, or he is soon going to be gone. Everybody knows when they are about to die, they appear to get better. “

_No, he will live!_

But it had been like that with Ser Willem.

Ned drifted once again.

He would not wake up.

They arrived at Eastwatch and Master Harmude confirmed to Daenerys what the pentoshi healer had said: Eddard would not survive.

The smell of death was already claiming him.

Old Nan used to tell stories about the wildlings, or the Free Folk as they called themselves.

_Perhaps I can find someone there that can help Eddard wake up?_

“Ser Jorah, would you bring me to the fishing village? I want to find somebody who could help.”

Mormont knew what she meant. “ Carefull, Your Grace; drabbling into this sort of thing is very dangerous.”

Daenerys would not listen, so Ser Jorah gave up and went with her.

A woman called Mirri lived in a cabin, near the woods. She said she would gladly help after hearing who was the man Daenerys wanted to save. “ I will do anything for Lord Stark, I am from Wintertown; bring Lord Stark to here.”

 ***

Daenerys had Ser Jorah arrest the woman.

“Why did you do it, Why did you kill him?”

Mirri´s dark eyes seemed even darker:

“He was already dead, I gave him the gift of mercy. More than Lord Stark ever deserved it. He executed one of my boys, you see? He called it Justice.”

Daenerys intention was to give his body to the Maester to preserve it and move to Winterfell.

"I am sorry, my Lady. Winterfell is burning; The Ironborn took it!"

Daenerys slept a day and a night. When she woke up, was day again.

She ordered wood to be brought, a pyre to be made.

_I am sorry you will not have a Stark burial, but I will offer you a Targaryen one, Eddard._

 ***

Jon was too late; he only saw  Winterfell destroyed. Burning.

He decided to go to the Godswood to pray and from there, he would return to Castle Black.

When he arrived, he saw Maester Luwin, dying.

But Brandon, Hodor, a wildling named Osha and Rickon were there. _Alive and well_

They stayed there for some time and watched the sky in wonder.

A comet.

“Remember what Old Nan said about comets?It is an omen. What do you think the Red Comet means?” Brandon asked.

Jon _knew_ . “It means one thing and one thing only: Dragons.”

 

**END OF PART 1**

 

 

 


	8. JON I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now the chapters will cover the events centering a particular character or group of.
> 
> Please: timeline of some events are reversed, but mostly I tried my best to keep them in order. 
> 
> WOW! Did you see the trailer for seaon 7? amazing!

While the children marvelled at the Red Comet, Jon saw out of the corner of his eye that Osha was giving Maester Luwin the gift of mercy at his request.

_It is better this way. What am I do to with his body? He was our teacher, he deserved better than this._

“We can not leave Maester Luwin here.”

Jon remembered there was a fallen tree somewhere nearby they could use to have a grave for Maester Luwin.

With some help from Hodor, Jon managed to roll the tree over to the left side and could see its imprint marking the ground. He also had brought some survival equipment with him, including a small shovel.

Jon started digging where the tree was and soon Summer and Ghost were helping with the job; it did not take long for a hole that went as deep as Jon´s arm to be formed.

“Osha, please, help me undress him.” In the Night's Watch, even the fallen´s clothes are deemed to useful too be wasted. Perhaps the cloth could be used.

_How one properly buries a Maester? Maybe we should take his chain with us._

Jon thanked the Gods Luwin was not exactly a big man. They had to fit him in the whole in a fetal position, Luwin´s head touching his knees.

“We need to start moving. Soon night is upon us. We are to avoid the King´s Road.”

As they were leaving, Summer suddenly ran sideways. Jon turned his eyes towards the wolf and saw two figures , partially hidden in the fogs.

 _I hope they are alone_. “ Who are you? State your business !”

A female voice answered: “ I am Lady Meera of House Reed. He is my brother, Jojen. We came to pledge our loyalty to House Stark.”

***

They walked North- always north- for about two hours before they found a place to make camp. No time to go foraging: they would feast on oatcakes, the very last ones Jon had left.

“Tomorrow we will have to start hunting; perhaps tonight our wolves get lucky and bring us some hares.”

Brandon spoke his first words in a long time. “ We hid at the crypts, Jon; Osha helped us. We stole some swords. They should not be looking so much for us now. “

“We should not be going North. Your King brother should be taking his swords North.” Osha was visibly uncomfortable with Jon´s suggestion of heading to Castle Black.

_My aunt is bound to return to Eastwatch with Ser Jorah Mormont. Commander Pyke and his men are used to trade with the wildlings and the fisherfolk there could help us .We could even cross the Narrow Sea…_

“Eastwatch is a better place to hide, Osha. The Night's Watch there is not hostile to the Free Folk and we could go from there as far as Braavos if need arises. Our brother is fighting south, we could easily get captured by the wrong people if we head that direction.. ”

Osha agreed with the idea, but Rickon was unconvinced :“ Maester Luwin said we should split our group; best for hiding.”

“We go as far together as possible before separating. The Kingsroad is not safe for us. “

They ate the oatcakes in silence, until Brandon asked Meera and Jojen if they were Howland Reed´s children.

“Yes, we are, my Prince. We were sent by our father after Jojen had a dream; he has the greensight.”

The information picked up Brandon´s attention :“ I also dream sometimes...What was the dream about, Jojen?”

“I dreamt of a winged wolf and a three-eyed crow who lives beyond the wall.”

“The little Lord is not going beyond the wall! If we go North the wall, we die. The Others will take us. Eastwatch is as north as we should go. Mance Rayder is trying to bring the free folk south. Everybody is leaving. ”

_Maybe Uncle Benjen is with Mance Rayder; he was sent to investigate the King Beyond the Wall._

“We are not going beyond, Osha.” _At least not my little brothers._ ” We should split at some point, but now we stay together.”

“Perhaps it is time for us to pledge to Prince Brandon and Prince Rickon.” Meera and Jojen then knelt in front of both Stark boys. Together they said :

"To Winterfell we pledge the faith of Greywater. Hearth and harvest and we yield up to you, my lord. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you."

"I swear it by earth and water.”  
"I swear it by bronze and iron."

"We swear it by ice and fire."

***

The days passed and they walked, cold as their only constant companion.

Some days, they were lucky and had plenty to eat; on others they were reduced to some crumbs, leftovers or at times, nothing but water.

Meera learned very fast the best ways to catch hares and squirrels. Jon thought Rickon was happier in the wild, running with Shaggydog, than sitting for a History lesson.

Jojen would often sit with Bran and talk. One night, Jon heard him speaking about warging. “When you are wearing Summer´s skin, you have to be careful to not stay inside for long. Otherwise, the wolf will be left with something of you and you will be more wolf than before.”

_Dany said that I was howling while Ghost was away hunting when we were nearing Eastwatch. I smelled his prey and felt the cold on his paws._

That night, Jon dreamt again: Brandon, he recognized his voice, was speaking to him in this dream, but he was not Brandon; it was a carved face of a weirwood tree. Jon woke up, sweating and nervous, not knowing what to do. It took Jon a few moments come back to life again, for his heart to beat at a normal rate. His eyes were getting used the darkness of the forest and soon, the cold air invaded his soul and he fell into a deep sleep.

They had crossed to The Gift and reached an abandoned village; only the walls of what should have been an Inn were still standing. Brandon recognized the place almost immediately upon arrival, as he could see further up a stone tower. “ It is Queenscrown. “

 _Maybe father in another time would have given me this holdfast to protect in his name._ The thought brought sadness to Jon; but being sad would not help anyone and Jon forced himself to think about their present situation and how to protect his brothers.

Since the weather was firm, they did not stay long and went further North.

The Wall was now at hand's reach. An abandoned Castle sitting at its base, with scary and broken Towers, a vision straight from Old Nan´s scariest stories.

“It is The Nightfort.”

***

Brandon had now decided he wanted to search for the Three Eyed Crow and learn more about his warging abilities; he believed the greenseer could help him walk again.

_How am I to deny a little boy ? Perhaps he is right and this...being could heal him._

Jon had heard that the Fort had a secret passage through The Wall; he still believed Benjen was alive, somewhere north. He would go with them, but he could not allow Rickon to leave only with Osha; Hodor was needed to carry Brandon and a group with two women and a boy would be very vulnerable.

Jon approached the Reeds; they had swore a vow and the group had agreed earlier they would split into two parties, one for Rickon and the other for Brandon. Meera understood and agreed.

“ Yes, you should try and find Benjen, perhaps he is among the wildlings. If the Stark brothers can be split, so the Reeds.”

Jojen disagreed in his quiet way, but he had no other choice:

“ We either do it this way, or I will not have Brandon north of The Wall. It is bad enough that I am actually agreeing to this; I will go with Brandon and Meera and you leave with Osha and Rickon to Eastwatch.”

  
There was little time to waste on farewells; they had a couple of hours at most of daylight, but everyone knew this could be very well the last time they saw each other alive.

***

Brandon was sleeping when he heard noises.

“Meera! Meera!” Brandon whispered. “ Meera, do you hear it?”

Meera was half asleep; she thought there were footsteps. “ Yes, someone is here.”

It was not that late in the night; dark yes, but they were still able to distinguish figures and colours; if they squeezed their eyes or see their faces if very close.

“ Stay here, I will see who or what is it.”

Jon did not want to show it, but he was scared. _What if it is the Night King himself? How am I to kill a dead man without fire?_

“Answer me, who are you?”

The steps were getting closer; soon Jon could see a very large , robust man, a swore brother of the Night's watch, and a young woman, carrying a babe.

“Sam?”

***

The girl's name was Gilly; she was one of the daughter-wives of a wildling named Craster. Lord Commander Mormont had mentioned to Jon that Craster would sometimes be the difference between life and death for rangers beyond The Wall. For what Samwell said, there was an insurrection and Jeor Mormont was killed by his own man.

Shocking and sad as the news were, what Samwell told them afterwards was even worse.

White Walkers.

“ Samwell killed one of them. I saw it. They… they wanted to take my babe to join them.”

“How did you kill it, Sam?” Jon had fought a wight back at Castle Black and knew fire was an effective weapon, but he never seen a white walker.

_Since we are going North of The Wall, I better know how I can fight them._

“ I used dragonglass, Jon. You should not go North. The stories, they are all real...”

Brandon had been listening as Samwell told them all he knew about the White Walkers: dragonglass would kill them; they brought the cold with them and there was some sort of agreement between them and Craster, because he was offering his newborn sons as sacrifice and believed The Others were Gods of Ice.

  
“We are trying to find the Three Eyed Crow; he has been visiting me since I fell. I must go to him, believe me when i tell you this. It is not something I chose to do, it is something I must do.”

The babe started to cry and Gilly nursed him until he fell asleep. “ Some of my sisters were good hunters and would stay away following trails for some time; I remember that Nella returned about five days after she left , saying she had gone to the Haunted Forest, somewhere between the Fist of the First men and south of the Antlers River. There she said she saw Children of the Forest entering caves.”

They slept for some hours, sharing the last cuts of meat they had between them. Samwell tried to dissuade Jon and Brandon of going, but Jon would not relent.

“Sam, please, when you return to Castle Black, tell Maester Aemon - and only Maester Aemon - that I will try to infiltrate the wildlings to know what their plans are. Perhaps Uncle Benjen is among them.”

Done trying to argue against it, Samwell guided the group to the Black Gate, a hidden underground passage to the other side. “They said it is as old as The Wall itself” Samwell said, as they walked past what used to be the kitchens.

The sight was magnificently frightening:the gate itself made with white weirwood, the face painted is shrunken and wrinkled; its eyes, white.

The door was glowing and its mouth opened, asking the question: Who are you?

Samwell responded :” "I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers. I am the shield that guards the realms of men."

“Then pass.”

***  
After days alone in the white waste, Jon was found by a party of scouts from Mance Rayder's army.

Jon was asleep, cuddling Ghost. Something must had caught Ghost's attention, because Jon suddenly woke up, with a surge of energy. It happened in a heartbeat really: there was a man trying to unearth a knife and the other was blowing a horn; Jon quickly finished his would be attacker with Longclaw, while Ghost took care of the man with the horn.

He then felt a body behind him. Jon turned and jumped at the man, both falling to the ground.

“A girl.”

“I yield.”

Jon let go of his grip and looked at her curiously. “You are my captive now it seems. What is your name?”

“Ygritte. What is yours?”

“My name is Jon Snow.”

  
“An evil name.”

_She is a spearwive. Ygritte. I wonder if the wildling custom of marriage by abduction does exist. If it is true, then she is my wife._

Strange thing to think under the circumstances. Jon had never been with a girl before. He never wanted to father bastards. The most beautiful woman he had met was his _aunt_. Who just happened to have been _in love_ with _his father_.

_No wonder I wanted to join the Night's Watch and avoid so many complications!_

“Not evil. A bastard name. My father was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell.”

“What are you doing here, Jon Snow? So far from home.”

_She is small, but I can feel her muscles. Her hair ,so red. Blue eyes. Very pretty this spearwive._

“They took Winterfell. Last time I saw it was burning. There is war south and soon it will come north. A bastard without home and no gold, that is what I am. “

Jon was not lying, but he could not simply ask Ygritte if she had seen uncle Benjen around. Maybe it is a good way to infiltrate the wildlings. They were really close and Jon was feeling the warmth of her body. _The closest I have been from a girl in a long time._

“You ought to burn them or you might need your sword again.”

“I agree, but we do not have wood for it. Why are you here, Ygritte?“

“We are searching for crows.”

“I am no crow.” Jon looked at the men he and Ghost killed. “ Were they your kin? You know I had no choice, it was either kill or get killed.”

“I know. No, they are not my kin. No more than you are.”

“Why you say that?” Jon was feeling restless now: he had killed a man, the body was still nearby and there he was, talking to a girl he was actually attracted to.

“You are the Bastard of Winterfell, you said. You must have heard the song o´winter rose.”

“No, I know many songs, but not this one. What is about?”

“Bael the Bard made the song. He was King-Beyond-the-Wall. All Free Folk know his songs. Mayhaps not in the south. “

Ygritte told Jon the story of the single daughter and heir to Winterfell, who fell in love with Bael and bore him a son. Her father was a Lord Stark named Brandon- she called him the daughterless- and this grandson became his heir.

“So it happens that all Stark have Bael´s blood, same as me.”

***  
Ygritte told him there was a cavern they could use as shelter.

The last couple of days they spent walking and talking and Jon found that Ygritte, although not exactly beautiful, was very seductive, in a very sweet way. He was smitten, he knew.

_There are ways of avoiding a pregnancy. But I see no wood´s witch to give her moontea. Perhaps if I do not give her my seed..._

Jon Snow knew the rules in the “South” as Ygritte called all lands beneath The Wall: bastards were born out of dishonour; a woman should wed unsoiled, or risk the legitimacy of her children and bring disgrace to her family. But here he was, in another land, living another life and experiencing a very natural attraction towards a free woman.

“Show me your cave, Ygritte. I will tell Ghost to try and hunt something.”

As soon as they arrived and Ghost left, his lips went to hers. The kisses were eager and wet; he felt as Ygritte rubbed herself against his manhood and the almost immediate response she got that pleased her.

“You have nothing to be ashamed down there, I can tell.”

Her fingers were unlacing his breeches and soon, her hand slipped inside, touching his cock as she whispered on his ear. “Isn't that good?”

It was more than good, really.

The cave was warm; hot springs underneath. Soon, they were laying on the furs. Ygritte tried to guide his cock inside her, but Jon wanted to taste her. He sucked her cunt and heard her gasping “ Jon, please, do not stop!” Her smell was more pleasant than he had thought it would be and her curls were thick, but he managed just fine, using his tongue to lick her. Soon, she was panting.

“Come, Jon.”

Ygritte was soaking wet; Jon had no problem thrusting inside of her at once. “ Harder, Jon, I need more of you!” She was no maiden, and Jon discovered he liked this way; her experience made him less nervous and the obvious pleasure he was bringing her gave him a sense of gratification that he never experienced before.

Jon was fighting very hard to last and his movements became more energetic as Ygritte screams grow louder.

“Aaaaah, Jon!”

Something had happened to Ygritte; her body suddenly relaxed and she sighed before kissing him gently.

Jon managed to pull it out and spilled his seed on the ground.

Ygritte was next to him, resting her head on Jon´s chest : “We should stay in this cave forever. Now you are mine as I am yours.”

Jon did not say anything, but part of him agreed.

Soon, they would meet Mance Rayder and perhaps, even Uncle Benjen.


	9. DAENERYS I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys leaves Eastwach- and Rickon at Skagos.  
> Meets Prince Doran , Oberyn and Varys.  
> Sings a pact with Aegon.

Daenerys stayed as long as she could at the fishing village near Eastwatch, but three moon turns had passed since she became mother to dragons and her presence in the Seven Kingdoms would soon be noticed by her enemies.

 _They are too small and vulnerable._ Eddor had dark grey scales, almost black, and was the closest to her heart; Rhaegal, named after the brother she never knew, was green and Viserion, in her mind the most beautiful one, had cream coloured scales that sometimes could be confused as white.

_Uncle Aemon said dragons can be killed  easily if they do not have riders. They can go wild, or fly away. We need to leave soon if I wish them to live long._

The fisherfolk that witnessed Daenerys sacrifice and the birth of dragons took to follow and obey her as if she were a Goddess. Some men and women had come forward and entered into her service; Ser Jorah saw them with ruthless pragmatism:

“Your Grace, when time comes and we leave, better leave them behind. Wildlings and fisher folk will only slow us down, more mouths to feed.”

“We will not take mothers and their children with us, Ser Jorah. The free men and the women that are of age and chose to serve me must be trained in arms.”

Ser Jorah had signed an agreement with Lord Stark  to enter the Night's Watch and would have gone through with it if the situation had not changed so dramatically: his father had been killed in a mutiny by fellow brothers; Lord Stark died and Daenerys brought dragons back to the world.

Following the orders of his Queen, Jorah drilled and trained the best men and women available, in time becoming her most trusted advisor and fiercest protector.

Commander Pyke was not pleased when Ser Jorah told him he was not joining The Watch, but kept quiet; Lord Stark had been more than generous when he charted _Blackbird_ for Daenerys and she had commissioned weapons to be made by the stationed blacksmith and paid for it upfront.

Besides, The Watch was not only isolated from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, but also were supposed to be neutral in political matters, therefore Pyke saw no problem in keeping Daenerys presence and identity a secret.

 

***

Even in the isolation of the frozen coast of the North, Lord Varys birds sang.

_He means I might find support in Dorne; the Bastard King has many problems and the Small Council has forgotten about me. Prince Doran, however, is interested in a meeting ._

Maester Aemon had told Dany about how Dorne was the last piece of Westeros that joined the Seven Kingdoms, and only by marriage. They had killed a dragon during the war of Conquest, a feat that very few could boast,  and, according to Aemon, still have some banned books on dragon lore in their library.

Although Dany knew Dorne would welcome the fall of the Usurper´s regime and the Lannister´s as a revenge on the deaths of Princess Elia and her children, their future support would come with a price.

_Am I ready to make a marriage alliance with them? I consider myself a widow, but am I? My heart still aches for Eddard. But I am young and I have a duty to my House._

Dany communicated her decision to Ser Jorah, his reaction had been positive until she mentioned a possibility of marriage. He told her about his second wife, a Hightower, and how he disgraced himself trying to make her happy. It was only when she asked how Lynesse looked like when she realized the reasons for Ser Jorah negative response.

“Why, she looked a bit like you, Your Grace.”

_Oh! He is in love with me!_

Daenerys had come to trust and depend on Ser Jorah, but she did not have feelings for him other than the ones of a friend. Not knowing what to do and how to proceed, she decided not to address the matter, trying her best not to give him hopes.

They started preparations to depart; provisions were a problem in the North as resources were scarce; they would have to ration their food the best they could and resupply in Braavos and Pentos before sailing for Planky Town. Daenerys was used to travel and most of her men and crew were excited at the prospect. The Free Folk would refer to other parts of the Known world, like Essos, as “ the fabled lands beyond the Sea.”

The day before they were to sail, Dany was quietly looking the docked ships, Rhaegal nested on her left shoulder while his brothers were playing with each other, when she thought she recognized some giggles in the distance.

Dany turned back to look and saw Rickon, running with Shaggydog, approaching the village.

 

***

Osha told Dany about their trip, from Winterfell to The wall, and about the decision of splitting their groups. She spoke of a young man named Jojen with contempt: one night, he simply disappeared.

“ A day and night after we left The Nightfort, he was to gather some wood to make us a fire and never came back. I did not even lose time looking for him. He would not speak, just sit, like a mute. Did not do much, was not used to hard work. Shaggydog was our one protector and the little Lord here will grow to be a great warrior. This Jojen, not. “

Rickon did not seem to mind that their friend had left them; he was much more interested in the dragons: “ This one here likes me, Dany!”

“Of course he does, Rickon! His name is Eddor, after your father.” Rickon was still a child, but he had seen a lot in his life. Dany decided to tell him. _It will make him feel better if he knows something of Eddard remains._ ” I went south to try and save your father, but I was too late. Winterfell had fallen, we were so far from home, it would be impossible for him to interred in the crypts. So, I washed him and dressed him and had a pyre prepared. I placed dragon eggs over his body and…” _I cannot tell Rickon that I burned the woman who killed Eddard, not that I walked into the flames; he might not understand._ “ I let it burn, and it burned so hot, so strong and bright, one could see miles and miles away. The eggs hatched and the dragons were born. I believe part of your father is in Eddor.”

The next day came and Osha had decided Eastwatch might not be as safe as Jon thought; she asked Daenerys if she could take her and Rickon to Skagos. The island was, nominally, part of The North and sworn to House Stark, but the place had its own customs and practices that made it a world apart.

“White walkers can not swim as far as I understand.”

 

***

The winds were favorable after they left Skagos - the queerest place Daenerys had ever seen- and they docked at the Ragman´s Harbour in Braavos. Dany gave the people leave to go see the city, much to Ser Jorah´s consternation.

“ Your Grace, those wildlings will desert you. They will find employment elsewhere and establish themselves here.”

“They are free men. I would not mind if some stay in Braavos, as long they come to inform me. They worked for their keep and some are good sailors. “

Some hours later, they all came back, talking wonders about a mummer's play by Phario Forel. Daenerys just smiled at Ser Jorah. _A man does not need to be a knight to be loyal._

Doreah had been feeling unwell; at first Daenerys thought her to be with child, as she was laying with a tripulant often enough, but the symptoms were not of a pregnancy. She asked Ser Jorah to take her to a healer. Doreah was not to continue the trip, the healer said.

Nothing to be done, Dany provided her with coin to attend to her needs and treatment and Doreah stayed behind at their base in Braavos.

“ Do not worry, Khaleesi, I will get better and when you are back, I will be one of those famous courtesans.”

 ***

Almost as soon as _Balerion_ docked at Pentos, a servant of the late Illyrio sent for Daenerys.

Ser Jorah accompanied her to Illyrio's Manse; the place was still imposing, but was falling in disrepair as the other Magisters fought between themselves about how to divide the spoils, some claiming old debts or to be blood relations.

Lord Varys had been asking for the Magister's Will, the old servant said, and left a message for Daenerys to contact him as soon as she reached Dorne.

_He had been helping me, so it is time I tell him about Aegon. Maybe I should have said something before, but it was more important to rescue Eddard._

As they were walking to the docks, a child approached Dany begging for some coin.

“You should not give too much for beggers; they will always come for more.”  

As Dany searching in her pouch for a coin, Ser Jorah saw when the child jumped forward, knife in hand.

He managed to push Daenerys down and with a swift movement, branded his sword. The child them tried to make her escape, releasing a manticore at Daenerys direction, who freezed as the spider like creature was getting closer.

An old man, cloaked  in white appeared and killed the manticore with a spear, and offered his hand to the fallen Princess, addressing her by her title. _He knows who  I  am_.

“ Ser, you saved me. To whom I am obliged to properly thank for my life?”

The tall, bearded old man looked at her with his sad blue eyes and said: “ My name is Barristan Selmy, Your Grace, and I am here to pledge my allegiance to your cause and ask for forgiveness.

 

***

With Lord Varys firmly in King's Landing, and with the increase in security since the beheading of Lord Stark and the attack by Stannis Baratheon's forces, the issue on how to approach The Spider and have a much needed conversation remained unsolved.

“ Your Grace, if  Lord Varys is indeed intent in contacting you for an audience, a man of his experience surely will manage to reach you as soon as he deems appropriate. “

_What Ser Barristan says it is right; We are soon to meet Prince Doran, who no doubt has a direct connection with Varys._

“I did send him a message through one of his little birds conveying my eagerness for a meeting to discuss Aegon and Illyrio´s death and will. The only time we met, it was about saving Lord Stark, not enough time.” _And not enough trust either._

Sometimes, the best way to hide oneself is in plain sight. Against Ser Jorah´s objections, Daenerys reassumed the identity of Danelle and went to attend an event at Sunspear accompanied by Jhogo and Rakharo, two of her wildlings guard.

“You should not be going by yourself or at all, Your Grace. Send us there as your emissaires.”

“The last time I did send someone in my steady for such important meeting, I was turned down. I am not about to be turned down again, Ser Jorah. I would take you both, but my dragons are also in need of protection and your faces are too well known, I am afraid. “

A small boat came for Daenerys, bearing the Sun and spear of House Martell. She tried to arm herself with courage, and left.

 

***

Prince Doran was holding court at Sunspear, a rare enough occurrence, but a necessary one, to remind people that he was still working, still alive.

Many beautiful women were in attendance as he had requested. The beauty of the Targaryen women was legendary and their features, very recognizable. Prince Doran wanted possible informers to see this night as one of pleasure and not intrigue. Because of it, he had invited Prince Oberyn and his Paramour, Ellaria Sand, who were famous for orgies and for seeking the joys of the flesh at any given opportunity.

The night was going as planned and Prince Doran discreetly made conversation with Daenerys, just to have the measure of her. He was afraid she would have some of her family´s temper or be as taciturn as her late brother, Rhaegar, but no; she was playing her part well and with grace.

The plan was simple: Oberyn and Ellaria would make their move on Daenerys. They would leave for a secretive place. An hour or so, Prince Doran would excuse himself from his guests and retreat to his chambers.

He saw when Ellaria seductively laid her hand on Daenerys back, while Oberyn whispered something in her ear. The three left the room and nobody raised an eyebrow. Prince Doran continued a conversation with Lady Larra Blackwood for as long as he could.

“I hope you will forgive me, but I must retire for the night. Please, you are welcome to stay and enjoy the night.”

 

***

Daenerys had heard enough from the man they called the “ Red Viper” and if she could be honest, he really did not disappoint. His paramour, Ellaria Sand, was not beautiful, but very attractive in a sensuous way and carried herself with the confidence of a Queen.

 “I trust your trip has been pleasant, Princess.”

“Please, it will be easier if we address each other by our names. Since we do not have the luxury of time, mayhaps it is better to simply ignore formality. Of course, although we have not met , we should have been...family.”

Ellaria was sitting nearby, drinking wine, mindlessly reading a book, anything it seems but engage in what was probably going to be a serious conversation.

The playfulness in Oberyn's eyes that Dany saw while they were at court had vanished. “ We did met, actually, Daenerys, but you were only a child. I went to Braavos and saw you, briefly. I was on a secret mission for House Martell and spoke with Ser Willem Darry.”

Daenerys looked confused, so Oberyn produced a parchment from a drawer and handed to her. “ Here, you will understand.”

What she read was a marriage pact between Prince Viserys and Princess Ariane. _House Martell  does want more than justice it seems. I can not fault them; they were denied a half Martell on the Iron Throne after all._

Prince Doran entered the room with his guard and asked Ellaria to leave, which she did without protesting. From the same door Ellaria left, came Lord Varys, who was in hiding somewhere.

“Lord Varys, I am quite relieved you are here. There are some things we need to discuss about your associate, Magister Illyrio, and Aegon.”

There was surprise in the look of both princes and Varys tried to explain about Aegon. “Prince Doran, I could not save Princess Elia and Princess Rhaenys because I did not believe they were in danger. I foolishly assumed they would allow the women to be ransomed and concentrated my efforts in saving Prince Aegon, who was the heir.”

Before Varys could continue, Prince Doran asked: “ Do you mean to tell me that Aegon Targaryen, my nephew, is alive?”

Daenerys could not allow the lie to keep passing as a true if they were to be allies .“Please, there is something you should all know before we continue…”

 

***

Lord Varys trade and specialty was secrets. Buying, stealing and selling information. Betrayal was something he knew too well; he always pitied the poor man who unknowingly trusted the wrong person. The wrong person often turned out to be someone close.

 A wife. A daughter. A son.

 A friend.

Varys was an orphan and eunuch; he had no family. The closest person he had was Illyrio Mopatis.

The man who betrayed him.

The man who lied to him, keeping him in the dark about the death of Prince Aegon a couple of moon turns after his arrival in Pentos and passed his own son, Aegon, as the boy.

Daenerys was, after all,  the last legitimate member of the Targaryen Royal Family. Jon Snow was still a secret and Maester Aemon had forsaken his titles.

“ I am sorry about all. I am sorry, Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn, that your sister´s family is gone. I am sorry, Lord Varys, that Illyrio broke your trust and that you have been working all these years for someone who is dead. But not all is lost.”

Lord Varys was quick to recover, Dany would grant him that, or at least he kept himself in check and moved on. He had a lot invested in a Targaryen Restoration and he was not about to have it all go to waste. Adapt he would.

“ The boy Aegon was raised with lies, but raised well. He can still serve the Realm. I agree with your intentions, Your Grace, his House should be restored  if he chooses to fight and bring you the Golden Company.”

“Jon Connington did not believe and would not let my advisors near the boy. He said I should go in person. Illyrio told me both were expecting a marriage alliance with me, but he also freed me from this imposition for their support and we agreed on full pardon and lands for the Officers of the Golden Company and House Blackfyre recognized as a Cadet Branche of House Targaryen, as it should have been from the beginning.”

They talked about numbers and war: the Tyrells were now aligned with the Lannisters, but The Northern -Riverlander Alliance was still fighting. Stannis Baratheon inherited part of his brothers army, controlled the Royal Fleet and also had sellswords at his disposal.

Prince Doran was very clear on how he wished to proceed :“The Golden Company has 10.000 men and we still do not have their allegiance. We would only have a chance of winning if we wait long enough until their forces and resources are depleted and their political alliance starts to crumble. We have Myrcella Baratheon with us - that will make them believe we will remain neutral. “

“I would gladly go myself and speak with Jon Connington, but my presence is still needed in Westeros. The Golden Company is crucial, yes, but we do not need them to march now.” Varys then looked at Daenerys and asked: “ Tell me, Your Grace, are the rumours from Eastwatch true? They were too fantastical for me to believe and the voices telling the tale were still too low…”

Until then, their conversation was really nothing more than an hypothetical conspiracy, an initial conversation among uncommitted parties that , although promising, was only a distant possibility

Daenerys knew she had to turn their doubts into acceptance: “ Yes. I do have dragons. Three of them. But we also need time. They are small and vulnerable. And there is much we do not know about their habits and training, since it has been over a hundred years they disappeared. I trust Dorne has  a lot to teach about Dragons, mainly how to not lose one in battle.”

The news brought the first smile on Prince Oberyn´s lips. “ My Ellaria is an Uller bastard. Every Kingdom has a rather...unsavory house. They say Lord Uller even kept Queen Rhaenys as a prisoner for a time, after his soldiers killed Meraxes. “

Before dornish pride into defeating a dragonrider would make them forget why they were there, Daenerys felt the need to steer the conversation to her side: “ Interestingly enough, House Uller killed a woman both our families descend from. You had your Daenerys once. I believe mother named me after her as a not so subtle way of reminding our Houses shared more than History…”

Prince Doran looked pleased. “You are a young woman of intelligence, Daenerys. I believe it is time we see your dragons. We have a book you might like it…”

 

***

Prince Oberyn Martell had not expected this.

His brother, Doran, planned to have Quentyn, his middle son, as a possible Consort for Daenerys.

After seeing the dragons first hand and presenting Daenerys with the _Unnatural History of Dragons,_ Doran started negotiations. For a betrothal.

Daenerys was, of course, interested: “ As much as I need your men and support, Prince Doran, I would expect to meet Prince Quentyn and spend some time with him before we agree on terms. Recently, I was made aware that my parents were not...suited for each other..and it is my belief that Houses Targaryen and Martell deserve a successful and long marriage this time. “

Doran was Quentyn´s father. He loved his son and would be very happy to see him on the Iron throne.  However it was obvious that Quentyn would not do. Daenerys was young, but had accomplished too much already. She was certainly not mad like her father- even at young age, Aerys behaviour was extravagant- but one could easily see a strange force within her. Quentyn would not be strong enough to fight for Dorne interests at Court; he would obey Daenerys and not rule with her.

When Doran and Aero Hotah returned from their visit to Daenerys, Oberyn was expecting them at Sunspear:

“Oberyn, you are going with Daenerys to Essos; your experience and knowledge of the area will be paramount to our mission. You are leaving in about 4 hours…”

Oberyn did not mind travelling; he has spent years in the continent and had even formed his own sellsword company. But Doran had planned for him to attend King Joffrey's wedding to Margaery Tyrell; he and Ellaria were soon to depart and make several stopovers along the way and visit their bannermen; some even would join the retinue and travel to King's Landing.

“I will wake up Ellaria…”

“She is not coming with you, Oberyn. You can meet her at King's Landing when you return. Your trip should not be a long one. Aegon Blackfyre is living in a village south of the Rhoyne River. As soon as you get him to agree with our alliance, Jon Connington will inform the Golden Company and you sail straight to King's Landing, with both  marriage pacts signed.”

Oberyn did not think much of it; it seemed an easier enough job, since Aegon had been already located. As for the pacts, there was sense in having Quentyn as consort of Daenerys  and Arianne ruling Dorne with the Blackfyre as her consort. Arianne´s children would succeed to the Iron Throne if Quentyn´s children would not- better a Half Martell than a Baratheon.

“ House Martell would have a double claim to the Iron Throne with Prince Quentyn and Princess Ariane…”

Doran interrupted Oberyn “ Not Quentyn, brother. He would not survive the Game of Thrones and I am afraid he wants nothing more than to marry the Yronwood girl. Trystane is also betrothed to another and Daenerys was...very understanding of your situation with Ellaria, of course. “

“ You jest, brother.” Oberyn knew Doran was not jesting though. “ You want me to marry Daenerys…”

“Yes, I do. There is no other way. As much as I would prefer one of my children sitting on the Iron Throne, I will settle for another sibling. “

 

***

When Daenerys announced Prince Oberyn would be joining them in their trip, Ser Jorah said bitterly : “Oberyn Nymeros Martell. The Red Viper. What am I do to with the Prince?”

“Be careful, Ser Jorah. If everything goes as planned , Oberyn will be my Consort.”

Even Ser Barristan Selmy raised his eyebrows: “ I beg your pardon, Your Grace. Prince Doran has two sons, your age. Either would make you a better consort than Prince Oberyn. The stories they tell about the man…”

“...have all been discussed and addressed.” Daenerys interrupted Selmy and then continued : “ Prince Doran did not deny any of those stories, some very colourful I admit, but I am inclined to overlook Prince Oberyn´s indiscretions myself. He is to be our ally, Sers. Do not make him our enemy.”

Prince Oberyn´s presence made Ser Jorah Mormont even more protective of his influence over Daenerys and they constantly clashed during Council meetings.

 _Jorah is jealous and angry. I just love him as a friend._ Daenerys remembered some time ago, Ser Jorah made some remarks about how Targaryens could marry multiple partners. _He said “ The dragon has three heads” as in Aegon and his two sister-wives. That I ought to have two husbands. Does that mean Ser Jorah wants to become my second husband? And I do not even know if Khal Drogo is dead or alive…_

It was all very confusing and Daenerys decided to simply forget about her marital status for the moment.

She would marry Oberyn and Dorne´s  25.000 spears; Aegon would marry Arianne and would bring the 10.000 swords of the Golden Company.

Daenerys only had her name, three small dragons and her Queensguard, formed mostly of wildlings warriors.

She approached Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan with her reservations, asking them for suggestions regarding sellswords, how much would it cost and the reputations of the most well known companies.

“In Astapor you can buy Unsullied.” Ser Jorah explained they did not feel pain and had no vices, therefore they would not rape and pillage. He spoke of their bravery in defending Qhor from the attack of Khalasar and of their discipline.

Daenerys was almost convinced when Ser Barristan simply said. “ Yes, but they are slaves. We do not abide slavery in Westeros, Your Grace.”

“ There are other sellswords companies in the area that are cheaper than the ones active in the Free Cities. We do have time to make a choice.”

Daenerys thanked them for their suggestions. “ I will reflect on the matter.”

 

***

Prince Oberyn was reading a book when Daenerys came to his cabin to talk.

“ I believe you have experience with sellswords companies, Prince Oberyn, I would like to hear about it.”

The dornish prince just smiled. “ I am disappointed you came to see me just to talk, Daenerys, but I will indulge you with tales of my feats of strength and valour in battle.”

“When we are alone, I would like you to call me Dany, please. It is time that we become more than...acquaintances. Friends perhaps?”

Oberyn looked Dany with amusement. “ Dany, you make me a happy man by offering me your friendship. I do have a...reputation. Well deserved. But it is always good to have friends, especially in our position. Tell me, why you want to talk about those matters? Do you want to hire some company in particular?”

“Dorne has spears; Aegon's has the Golden Company…”

“Yes, I see. But you have the name, the claim and the dragons!”

_Oh the dragons!_

“Come, Prince, I want to show you something.”

Eddor was the first of the dragons to fly from one ship to the other. The dornish sailors were at first scared, but soon got used. The Dragon would sometimes get lost amidst the clouds, but he would always find its way.

Daenerys waved a chunk of salt pork for the dragons to see. Rhaegal spread its wings and Viserion eyed the pork hungrily.

“ Eddor! Dracarys”

Daenerys tossed the pork in the air and Eddor moved quickier, orange and red flame coming out of his mouth.

Oberyn laughed heartily and Viserion looked with interest. “ I think he likes you, Oberyn.”

“Might be because we had a Daenerys once and her blood runs through my veins. Or because I am hard to resist.”

Oberyn moved his body forward and placed his left hand on the intersection between Daenerys neck and shoulders, pulling her head towards him and pressing his lips on hers.

It was not a lustful kiss, but a surprisingly sweet one. _I certainly did not expect such tenderness from a man they call Red Viper._

“There are ways to kill a dragon, which means that are ways to defend them. Your ancestors- _ours_ \- would no doubt think their strategy taking in consideration anti-dragon weapons. We did not fight Rhaenys when she came; we hid and ambushed her. Our combined Armies will have to be trained and get used to fight during dragon fire attacks, I think it should be a frightful sight, even for our men. “

_How can he go from a kiss to talk war with such ease?What  an uncommon man!_

 

***

Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan would stay behind docked at Volantis, it was decided; Daenerys and Prince Oberyn, the dragons and some guards from both sides would leave to meet Aegon Blackfyre, who was supposedly  living among fisherfolk a boat ride day and night from Volantis.

As expected, Ser Jorah did not agree with the plan, but Prince Oberyn had a strong argument:

“You are well intentioned and want to serve your Queen, Ser Jorah, but your efforts last time bore no fruits. I am sure I am better equipped to convince our former Lord Jon Connington. “

They hired a riverboat at Volon Therys, a city just on the outskirts of Volantis. The vessel was the largest of the ones available for hire, which is to say was rather small. Oberyn and the guards would be sleeping in hammocks and Daenerys was given the only cabin, boasting a single bed.

Far from the jealous eyes of Jorah Mormont, Daenerys decided to share her bed with the man who was to become her husband.

Oberyn was obviously proud of his body; he was lean and muscular, with black chest hair and a couple of scars. Daenerys thought him more dangerous than handsome, very masculine and lustful.

“Please, Daenerys, allow me to undress you.” Oberyn started to unlace her dress, his long fingers gently touching each inch of skin he uncovered. When the dress finally fell to the ground, he was pleased to see Dany naked, her golden pubic hair barely covering her mound.

Oberyn grabbed Daenerys by her waist and lifted her and sat her on a the edge of the small window. Dany raised her arm and touched the ceiling, holding it to give her support needed to stay in the same position, while Oberyn buried his face between her legs, and penetrated her with his very long and wet tongue.

“You are very sweet, Dany, I want you to taste yourself now.” Oberyn then kissed her and, indeed, she could taste herself in this kiss, but it was not sweet as he promised, rather it had no particular taste, but the sensation the smell of her own excitement brought her was a new thing for Daenerys.

Dany moved from the window to the small bed, trying to catch her breath. “Please, Dany, I want to see your arse. Could you turn?”

When she did, Dany could hear the sound of Oberyn's smile. “ You are beautiful in every angle. Allow me to draw your portrait from this position when we have time, yes? It could be your wedding gift to me!”

Dany just laughed. “ You are very easy to like, Oberyn. And very easy to please, it seems. “

Oberyn´s member was not large. _For such a renowned lover, I expected more._

Maybe Oberyn heard her thinking that and wanted to teach her lesson; or maybe that night was just an average one for him.

Either way, the much older Oberyn was unstoppable.

_Gods, I might ask him to take as many lovers as he want when we are married. He is...more than a man!_

“My prince, we need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“Are you tired, my dragon queen? Should I massage your muscles? “ Oberyn did not wait for an answer and started to pressure his hands on Daenerys back, kneading her flesh with careful intensity.

“Hmm...you are so knowledgable about everything. How do you have...time?”

“I killed an old Lord in a duel and then mother died. Doran thought it would be  wise to send me in a non official exile. I studied at The Citadel, then travelled Essos. I learned a lot because I work hard. We have titles and opportunities others do not have. I simply took all that life could have given me and made it my own.”

Daenerys was sure she could never come to love Oberyn and she sensed it would be the same for him; but she admired him; his lust was not only directed at sex, but life itself.

_Love is not all. It breaks your heart. I feel he respects me and I respect him. He might be the most intelligent man I ever know._

 “ Tell me, Oberyn, why you did not marry? “

“ It was not of vital importance for Dorne that I would marry.  Doran did not pressure me into marrying. So, why would I then?

 

***

The meeting was a tense one; Daenerys showed Aegon, Jon Connington and their household her dragons and asked to have a private talk with the young man.

Prince Oberyn would speak to Aegon´s foster father.

 Aegon did not take well precisely because he believed when Daenerys told him and showed him the letters, last will and family heirlooms Illyrio had left him.

 I _t must be hard to have lived a lie. A lie within a lie._

 Aegon was intelligent and had been taught well, better than Daenerys, who lacked proper education. He knew exactly what it meant when Daenerys showed him Blackfyre and said he was now the commander of the Golden Company, if he wanted to.

“Why are you telling me all this? How do you know I am not going to have the Golden Company against you?”

“Because you know all the Rebellions failed. Because we both are the same family, living in exile for many years. Because we want to go home and our only chance is to wait until Baratheons and Lannisters kill each other and strike, together. Our families were meant to be allies, not enemies. Sign this pact and fight with me.”

 

***

They returned to Volon Therys and Aegon went to Pentos to claim his inheritance. Daenerys felt relief that she had kept her promise to Illyrio; the debt was paid. The pact was signed.

 

Now she was preparing to set sail to Astapor.

 

Oberyn would be going to King's Landing to attend the false King Joffrey's wedding.

 

“ Good luck, Dany! I will try to be civil and not kill any Lannister. Or Clegane.”


	10. SANSA I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa thought the Tyrells and Varys were behind her escape, but boy, was she wrong!

Sansa got used to the threats and beatings. She thought herself a lady and as such, she tried her best to keep her courtesies and not show how scared and angry she felt, how utterly disgusted she was by the atrocities of the so called King, but mostly, Sansa wanted to hide her shame.

Shame for being a stupid girl.

After the executions, King Joffrey invited her- ordered her- to take a walk through the battlements. His sworn shield, Sandor Clegane, came to her chambers to deliver the invitation and accompany her to the meeting.

Sansa did not want to move or leave the bed. She just wanted to be quiet; to pretend there was still hope, that songs would be made for her in the future, when all her tormenters would be long gone, defeated by her family. 

The door opened and a large man was telling her to get out of bed, to dress up and not make King Joffrey wait.

“Come now. Do as he says and soon you will be left alone. Try not to anger him.”

The Hound was trying to help, she knew. _He never hurts me, even when Joffrey tells him to._

Kings Joffrey received her with a smile and made some charming remarks about her appearance; Sansa could now see he was making fun of her; her eyes were red and her face, swollen.

“Lady Sansa, I believe you should see what happens to traitors.”

She looked at the direction his finger was pointing, and saw it: the severed head of Septa Mordane on a spike. 

_Why? Septa Mordane was just a member of the household. She was no threat! He is just a vile boy .Father told me. Arya told me. I am a stupid, stupid girl._

“You should thank my mother, Lady Sansa, she asked me not to do the same with your father. See how merciful I am? A traitor's head belong on a spike!”

He turned from her and started walking. Sansa wanted everything to be over; she did not care. Sandor was right behind her. _I could push Joffrey and he would fall to his death. I would be killed, but he would die too._

Sandor Clegane saw the look in Sansa's eyes and read her intentions. He stepped between her and Joffrey, as gently as someone like him could.

Sansa understood what he had done at that moment.

Later on her chambers, Sansa reflected on it. She was thankful.

 _He saved me from doing something stupid! He saved my life._ With bitterrness, she realized: _and Joffrey´s_

 

***

Renly Baratheon was dead. Some said that Stannis, his brother, used magic against Renly and a shadow had entered the tent of the self proclaimed King at night, murdered him and left young Margaery Tyrell a widow.

A very interesting widow. Not only rich and powerfull but also still _intact._

Lord Baelish was sent to initiate negotiations for a betrothal, but war was getting too close now; Stannis Baratheon was preparing to attack from Blackwater Bay.

The days passed and Sansa kept to the confinement of her chambers, leaving only to the godswood or when the King requested her presence. Sansa was not allowed to send letters and therefore she was unaware if Lord willas would be coming to King's Landing soon; she was also not informed about her family other than the beatings she would received everytime her brother would win a battle.

_I hope Lord Willas will honour our betrothal. The agreement was signed while my father lived. Now that his sister is to be Queen, I  should be allowed to leave this hell._

Sansa was at the gardens, alone as usual but surrounded by other nobles in their leisure strolls. She was a traitor´s daughter and nobody aouwld address her in public; it was as if she had the grey plague.

But that day, Lord Varys made a surprising move: he approached Sansa and started a friendly conversation with her.

“I am very sorry for your loss, Lady Sansa. Forgive me for not have talked to you before, but I have been busy. The day before your father was executed, you locked yourself in your chambers and refused to leave on account of the death of your pet. You must have been in a estate, poor child! I understand and sympathize, as anyone should, but mayhaps going outside that night would have helped take your mind off your problems, don´t you agree?”

_Oh! That strange night. Was Varys trying to help me?_

“ I thank you, Lord Varys for your concern and kind words. I was not myself that night. You are right; leaving ...my chambers and coming outside would have helped. I am afraid I seldom make good choices.”

Varys asked Sansa for a walk and continued their conversation. He was very natural and relaxed, making sure he was seen with Sansa. The nobles took notice and did not mind. _They must think he is trying to acquire information from me, that he is only doing his job._

“You might have heard Lady Margaery is to become Queen once again. Lord Stannis should attack us soon. After the conflict is over,  we will receive the Tyrells in the court with open arms. You are betrothed to Lord Willas. The Tyrells do things their own way, Lady Sansa. Mayhaps it is only a matter of time until you leave us. If not, you will attend His Grace's wedding this time and not lock yourself in your chambers again, yes?”

_Yes, the Tyrells might use the wedding to whisk me away to Willas. Nobody will pay attention to me._

 

_***_

The days passed and Sansa survived.

Every night, she went to the godswood. To be alone. To simply pretend she did not exist in that ugly world. One night she was on her way to the godswood when she crossed paths with Sandor Clegane; he smiled of wine and prevented her from falling down the serpentine, grabbing her with his strong arms.

The encounter gave Sansa a strange feeling she could not describe. The Hound was a frightful man and the remarks he made about her body- her teats and waist- were crude and vulgar. It was something that should have made her uncomfortable.

But it didn´t.

His eyes, on the other hand...

_He is so angry and hateful, and yet, he is the one who never hurts me._

And Sandor Clegane saved her one more time, when she went with the Court to see Princess Myrcella set sail to Dorne. A riot broke; more violence and fear that Sansa had ever seen. For one moment, she thought it was for the best.

_They will kill Joffrey! They will kill him!_

When the mob came to her, Sansa realized she was the one in real danger.

But Sandor, once again saved her: with his usual ferocity, he killed her would be attackers and brought Sansa to safety.

_Why does he care about me? He does not even like me! He thinks I am silly, calls me a little bird._

The Tyrell forces would join the Lannisters and defend King's Landing against Stannis Baratheon. Baelish was made Lord of Harrenhal for his part in negotiating the bethrotal between Lady Margaery and King Joffrey. He was a friend of her mother´s; she still remembered how strange it was when Lord Baelish looked at her at the Tourney , when her father was still alive, and remarked about how she looked like Catelyn Tully at that age.

 

***

Sansa ran to her chambers; it was dark, as dark as it could be. She ran to the windows, pulling the drapes and saw it. War. The sky painted with strange colours, fire on water. Screams. Wildfire.

_I will sleep. Tomorrow somebody will wake me up and tell me who won. If I will live or die._

She thought of Lady; how it would have been good to have her pet now, how she missed her. 

The last days had been a strange mixture of confusion, hope and anger.

Ser Dontos Hollard, a knight Sansa had saved from Joffrey's wroth, had been promising to help her escape. Lord Varys had not approached her after their first talk; she did not know what to do. The Tyrells were supposed to come soon and Margaery would be Queen. Willas would either demand his betrothed to be brought to Highgarden or help her escape.

_Father said he was eager to wed me. Lord Varys said Tyrells do things their way. They are marrying into the Royal Family. Knowing Joffrey is a bastard. Will they forget about me? Where is Robb? Where is Arya?_

Sansa´s head was spinning. Truth be told, she did not know if she would be alive in the morning. _Would somebody care if I die?_

She did not know her body anymore every since that night , when she flowered; After that Sansa would be warm and wet, feverish sometimes. The thought of a very strong man, covering her back with a white cloak, her blood staining the spotless fabric, would invade her dreams and fill her heart.

_I need to lay down; I need to sleep and feel nothing, pretend I don´t exist._

Sansa felt hands coming behind her, grabbing her wrist; she opened her mouth to scream, but another hand, sticky with blood, prevented her.

“Little bird, I knew you would come. Do not scream!”

She did not.

“Don't you want to know who is winning the war?”

The Hound had a flagon of wine on her bedside table.

 _Why would I care who is winning?_   _I am the loser_. Sansa asked it anyway. His answer echoed her thoughts: "I only know who had lost. Me."

“ I am going, little bird.”

“Where to?”

"Away from here, away from the fires. To the North. Somewhere.”

_Gods! I want to go too! But how? What about Willas? Would it even possible to leave? The Queen closed Maegor's Holdfast. The City Gates are shut._

Sansa told Clegane about the impossibility of leaving the Red keep, let alone  Kings Landing.

“You promised me a song, little bird.”

He also made promises that night: her to protect her. To kill any man who would want to harm her. Like the knights in the songs.

_I might die tonight. Lord Willas might never come. My only kiss would have been Joffrey´s._

Sandor had a knife and his face was now very close to her. Sansa closed her eyes and moved closer and then she felt. His lips. She heard his breathing. He broke the kiss and Sansa lifted her hand, cupping his scarred cheek with her fingers.

“I can´t go with you. They would kill us. Nobody can protect me.”

 

***

Lady Olenna Tyrell and Lady Margaery had coaxed the truth out of Sansa's mouth regarding Joffrey. They had promised  to help her; it would be just a matter of time until she would be at Highgarden, with Lord Willas, they said.

“Your should understand, Lady Sansa, Willas would be here with you, but somebody needs to stay at Highgarden. And his leg makes such an arduous trip a dangerous proposition. Take heart and be prepared. We do things our own way, Lady Sansa.”

Margaery was a very beautiful and elegant woman; Sansa was surprised to realize that her soon to be good sister was quite skillful in dealing with Joffrey and life became almost bearable.

The days were not that bad, she thought, not knowing the worst was yet to come.

They started to call it the Red Wedding.

Lord Walder Frey was a bannerman of the Tullys, but even Sansa knew the Riverlanders were far from being an unified force: petty rivalries and long feuds were normal occurrences and the Lord of the Crossing was famous not for his honour, but for his opportunistic nature. Lord Frey also had one of his sons married into the Lannisters and he was in better terms with Lord Lannister than with his Liege, Lord Tully.

Nominally, Lord Frey was now a subject to the King in the North and Rivers, Robb Stark, but loyalty was just a word to him.

And Robb had his own problems: he won all his battles, but was losing the war.

The Riverlands were indefensible;

Winterfell had fallen to Theon Greyjoy;

And Robb´s wedding to a Manderly and Sansa's betrothal to a Tyrell were not popular matches among some of the Northern Houses, namely Karstark and Bolton.

Karstark ended up defecting Robb; Frey betrayed him and Bolton, simply killed him.

She survived, somehow; it was now a mystery to her, but she had survived.

Lord Varys had told Sansa to attend King Joffrey's wedding nomatter what- it would be the right opportunity for her to leave, the city feasting, all eyes on the Royal Couple...

Sansa did not know how, but the Tyrells and Varys seemed to have been working together and they were in a position of power and could help her, she knew.

The beatings stopped. Joffrey left her mostly alone.

Ser Dontos came to Sansa one day at the Godswood and gave her a very beautiful hairnet. It had been a long time since she had received a gift; she thanked him and Dontos made it clear to her she was to use the hairnet for Joffrey´s wedding. Ser Dontos made her swear she would wear it.

_Oh! This must be some sort of signal! Lord Varys said it would happen during the wedding. Margaery repeated that the Tyrells do things their own way._

***

Sansa saw the vile King choking and dying.

But then, she saw no more, as Ser Dontos took her hand.

They ran and met no resistance; he rowed her to a ship.

Before Sansa could thank him, Ser Dontos was killed.

"A bag of dragons buys a man's silence for a while, sweetling...but an arrow buys it forever."

_Petyr Baelish? What about Lord Varys? The Tyrells? Willas?_

 

 


	11. MEERA and BRANDON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brandon starts training under the last greenseer and becomes increasingly detached from his friends.  
> Jojen arrives but it is, perhaps, too late.
> 
> Meera faces a very difficult decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, life got me and I was unable to update as often as I wanted, but I cannot feel that bad because the world of fanfiction is adorable and we are among friends, right?

Meera was raised on stories of the legendary friendship between the Starks and the Reeds and she expected that one day she would serve their Liege as faithfully and dutifuly as her father had.

Meera´s brother, Jojen was special. He had the greensight ever since surviving greywater fever, a common disease in The Neck that claimed many children his age. Jojen´s recovery was nothing short of a miracle. However, it came with a price as Jojen had practically become another person; he was a common, fun loving child like many others before the illness , but  after it, his calm demeanor and solemn appearance made people unfamiliar with him  mistake the boy for a much older person.

The changes did not affect Meera much; she was happy Jojen was alive, after all, and she quickly adapted to the new reality, seeing that their parents appeared comfortable with it.

The change was never really discussed; nor that Jojen was obviously not expected to rule Greywater Watch anymore; instead, their father Howland Reed, started to take Meera with him during  visits to other Lords in the Neck and she, not Jojen, would be at his side when an important matter needed to be discussed.

The crannogmen were not known for formalities or the splendour of their Halls; their numbers were low, their fight style was not based in chivalry, but in exploring the enemies weaknesses and they lived in virtual isolation, even from the rest of The North.

Despite all this, they were loyal people, who kept vows and feared the Old Gods.

Jojen would retreat sometimes, locking himself in his chambers for days. Meera was more of a practical person and, although she did not understand her brother, she respected his gift.

War came; the southron lords did not seem intent in ruling, but in fighting. The Neck was of virtual importance in the defense of the Northern Kingdom and Meera expected her father to simply raise the defenses while Robb Stark was marching south . Perhaps even, when time would come, that Lord Reed would travel to Winterfell, to meet with the other Lords and swear fealty himself as it was the custom.

But then, Jojen dreamt.

“Now, it is time you go and travel, to see more of the lands and the people. Greywater Watch will be yours one day and it is important you swear fealty to the Starks, that they know who you are.  Both of you.”

Meera noticed that their father was addressing _her_ in particular. “ Father, do you think the war will reach us?”

“I pray not to. Jojen has his dreams, but we can only imagine what the future holds. Winter is coming. War is already upon us, Meera.War often bring the worst in us. It is time for difficult decisions. Incertities. Pain. We will all play a part and some of us will even make sacrifices. Let´s hope it will not be in vain and that we will survive the ordeal."

Their father hugged them very close to his chest and with that, Meera and Jojen left home.

 

***

During their trek to the Three Eyed Raven´s cave, Meera would sometimes think about Greywater Watch. _Will I be able to see it again? Father, mother, my friends? Are they alive? Do they worry about me and Jojen?_

_Jojen._

They arrived at Winterfell when it was burning; Prince Brandon and Rickon Stark were at the godswood, alive but not yet safe. Their half brother, Jon Snow had also arrived too late to prevent the Ironborn from taking the Castle. Meera thought about bringing them to The Neck, where nobody would find the Stark brothers. However, Jon Snow reminded all that they did not have any news from the war south and suggested they go north, to The Wall.

Meera knew that Jojen saw himself on a mission: his dreams were not just dreams, but messages. One night, during their trip, Jojen told her he was living on borrowed time. The thought of her little brother dying was too much for her to bear and she voiced her discomfort, a rare thing in her relationship with Jojen.

“Why you have to tell me this, Jojen?”

“So that, when time comes, you will not be so sad. You must go on, after all.”

Crannogmen were not known for being particularly strong, but Jojen had always been even more frail than the averag. Meera would help with the hunting and cooking, while her brother would talk with Brandon. She knew Osha, the wildling woman, would resent Jojen for not doing his share, so Meera tried to work for the both of them. It was unfair, she knew it, but Jojen had his limitations and Meera was very protective of him.

Brandon Stark´s gifts were even more powerful than Jojen´s and their friendship only deepened as time passed; in the end, Bran was convinced that he should seek the last greenseer and train under his guidance.

Meera knew this was Jojen´s idea and could not blame Osha and Jon Snow for not being happy about it.

In the end, Jon agreed, but with one condition:

“ We either do it this way, or I will not have Brandon north of The Wall. It is bad enough that I am actually agreeing to this; I will go with Brandon and Meera and you leave with Osha and Rickon to Eastwatch.”

Meera could see the logic in it, but Jojen was beyond logic at that point. Her brother said nothing as they departed and Meera knew Jojen had not, in fact,  accepted the  group´sdecision.

_Jojen cannot survive on his own if he dares to follow us. I hope he stays with Rickon, the little boy also needs protection._

When they crossed the secret passage at the Nightfort, Meera was comforted by the idea that Jojen was heading to Eastwatch and could not possibly know the password to open the magical gate.

Jon Snow had decided to try and search for his uncle Benjen, a ranger for the Night's watch who went missing, so Meera was tasked to accompany Brandon and Hodor to the Three Eyed Raven cave.

They did follow the instructions of Gilly and Bran's dreams and soon, they were in the Haunted Forest, being assisted by...something.

A brother of the Night's Watch apparently, but not a living one.

Coldhands.

Brandon was just a child; a powerful child, yes, but  child nevertheless. When confronted by such strange apparition,a menacing figure dressed in mottled blacks and greys of the Watch, hiding his face with a scarf, hands black and cold as ice, riding a great elk, Bran could only think Coldhands a monster.

He asked if it was true, in an innocent way Meera thought sweet.

Coldhands answered promptly:

“Your monster, Brandon Stark.”

 

***

In a sennight, they came upon an area surrounded by weirwood trees. The weather was foggy, but warmer than Meera had previously expected. She looked up; a wooded hillside and halfway, an entrance.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped and one could see the warm breath turning into a cloud of cold air.

Before Meera could even experience fear, they were surrounded by many of the undead, men and women alike, old and young, some were nothing more than  animated skeletons..

“Hodor, run!” Meera branded the sword Rickon and Brandon had stolen from Winterfell crypts, while Hodor carried Brandon up and Summer howled and jumped, showing his fangs.

“You should go now, child.” Coldhands said and Meera obeyed. A creature came from the entrance: small and green with yellow eyes. _A child of the forest!_ She guided them through a tunnel and soon, Summer was behind her.

“Why are they not following us?” Meera asked, not really expecting any answer; but the child guiding them answered her nevertheless:

“The cave is protected with spells and magical wards;  the undead cannot pass.”

“What about Coldhands? “

“He cannot pass either. They killed him long ago. “

 

***

The child´s name was Leaf and she was still walking through the giant network of tunnels, explaining their ways and giving them time to get used to the darkness.

Meera was feeling increasingly concerned . _I know we managed to arrive against all odds, but something is amiss. Why am I not happy? We are all alive._

“Come now. It is warmer down deep and safe. He is waiting for you.”

“The Three eyed Crow?” asked Meera.

“The greenseer.” answered Leaf, walking faster now.

_Is the three eyed crow not the greenseer? Who should be down there?_

Sitting on a weirwood throne was a pale figure, skin and bones mostly, long and white hair. One eye was missing and from the socket, a weirwood root was coming out.

“Are you the Three Eyed Crow?” Brandon wanted to ask why he had only one eye red, but decided against it; he would hear what the ...person had to say first.

A dry slow voice answered : “A crow? Once aye...I have been many things Bran. Now you understand why I could not come for you. I watched you, though, with a thousand eyes and one. “

 

***

The training started as soon as they arrived. Leaf and the other children made beds for them to sleep in a small chamber off the main cavern.

There was food: blind fish directly from the black river, dried fruits even cheese made from the milk of goats living in the cave with the children.

Bones were everywhere. Brandon could see skeletons of other children, men, bears, dogs and even a giant. _Were they other pupils like I am ? Were they all greenseers through the ages? Or...their friends?_

All Brandon wanted to accomplish with this quest was to walk again. And he was denied. “ You will never walk again, Bran. But you will fly.”

Back in Winterfell, sometimes Brandon dreamt he could fly. _Would it be possible? Will I learn to fly if I stay?_ As much as he cared about his friends and what would happen to them, Brandon also wanted to fly, as the greenseer had promised he would.

Of course, Brandon was also afraid; not long ago he was simply a boy who wished to become a knight and aspired to nothing more than to serve his House and rhe Realm, with dignity and honour. But then he fell from a tower and woke up alone; his family, gone.

“ Darkness will be your cloak, your shield, your mother’s milk. Darkness will make you strong.”

The children, or the singers as they called themselves, made Bran his own weirwood Throne and there he stayed, connected to the tree. The Three Eyed Raven told Bran he had once been a man; that he had loved a woman and a brother and hated another. His name, he said,  was Brynden, and mayhaps even Brandon´s great uncle had been called after him, a thought Brandon thought silly.

But this notion did not bring Brandon any peace of mind, quite the opposite really. _Will I be connected to a tree like him, to the end of my days?_

The singers were very deferential towards both the old man and the young one; being a greenseer was considered a great honour to those who serve the Old Gods. _But what about my life?  I want to see my family again. This Brynden at least was a man once; I am a boy, a boy that cannot walk!_

The old voice, perhaps sensing Brandon´s conflict, tried to console him:

“Only one man in a thousand is born a skinchanger; and only one skinchanger in a thousand can be a greenseer.”

 ***

Meera could not believe her eyes when Jojen arrived one day, more dead than alive.

“Why did you leave Rickon and Osha, Jojen? Why you had to come here? _How you came here?”_

Meera loved her brother, but he had given his word and swore a vow to the Starks. She berated him, while trying to make him eat some of the mushrooms . Meera wanted Jojen´s weakened body to regain strengh, as they would need in the future for when they were to leave the cave.

Jojen explained her how he had managed to track them: “Coldhands waited for me at the Nightfort; there is another entrance to the cave. I had to come, believe me, please.”

_No you did not. But here you are. I just pray Rickon is safe!_

The days passed and Meera started to despair; Jojen stopped talking and refused to eat or drink; Brandon was spending more and more time on that weirwood tree, having visions, and learning from the greenseer. Meera wanted to believe their prince did not know what he was doing, but she was sure Brandon was warging into Hodor and the thought of the once kind child doing this to a friend was revolting and felt her cold. _Would he do it with me too?_

“ Men should not go wandering around this place. The river is swift and black and flows down and down to a sunless sea. You would get lost in the forgotten ways that lead to the center of the earth.” Leaf said to Brandon one day, but Meera had accidently heard; somehow, she knew it already and would only explore the caves only in the company of the others, mapping known and safe areas.

Summer would sometimes leave the cave and join a pack outside, hunting in the snow, free from Brandon´s powers.

_Oh, how I wish I could leave too!_

_***_

Meera started to have nightmares after Jojen disappeared one day in the darkness.

She was miserable and feared Brandon was losing his humanity, that he was losing more than gaining from this experience. Meera was sad, not angry; she knew Brandon was only a child, making choices that even adults would find it difficult.

“Jojen! Jojen, come back!”

Meera would scream sometimes, just to hear her voice; just to feel that she was doing something. She was tired if the darkness and isolation. Tired of dreaming.

But the dreams would come back and haunt her.

Meera saw Jojen dead in one dream: the blood flowing out of his severed head, the Children collecting the dark red liquid in bowls and leaving her brother´s body near a secluded chamber down the river.

She had no time to lose; Brandon was still connected in another room she was not allowed to go. Hodor did not understand what was happening and could not help.

Meera decided to try and reach Brandon through his direwolf.

“Summer!”

The wolf came to her and looked Meera straight in her eyes.

“ You are so big, Summer! I know you can understand me! I know Brandon can somehow hear me. Please, Brandon, tell Hodor to come and pick you up. We need to leave now. We are in danger!”

Hodor did not move; Meera tried to wake him up, but nothing. 

Summer, however, started to move his head to the left, sniffing at Meera´s hands, trying to get her attention.

“What is it, Summer? Show me!”

Meera grabbed a sword and her bag, following Summer through paths and paths in that cave she had never seem before. They ended up in a long tunnel and with each step, the darkness would fade, until Meera could clearly see her feet, hands and the door in front of her.

“Summer, thank you, my friend. Brandon, are you sure I should leave? ”

The wolf licked Meera´s face and then left.

 

***

For a fraction of a second, Meera was happy.

_Fresh air. No wights! I am alive and out of that cave. I can go home!_

Then she remembered.

Brandon and Hodor in that cave.

Jojen. _Dead. My brother is dead. They are drinking his blood. How can I tell my mother and father? Their only son, gone forever!_

Meera walked for what she felt was an eternity.

She saw lights in the distance and ran towards it.

Meera was grabbed from behind. _That is it, I will die, they saw me and now they have me!_ She knew she was lost, but she fought as much as she could in the conditions. Despite her fighting, the man ripped her sword from her hands with easy and pinned her down. _A man? A wildling? Am I going to get raped?_

She could not see his face, hidden by a black cloak. He was all dressed in black. A tall and thin man, his hands, although cold, irratiated some warmth. _It cannot be Coldhands._

The man was heaily breathing now and Meera heard when he said, in awe “ A girl!”.

He made no movement or any sign indicating he would rape her there.

“Where did you get the sword, girl? Tell me!”

His eyes were grey and Meera thought he looked familiar. _He reminds me of Jon Snow, but this man is older, in his thirties, perhaps?_

“Benjen? Are you Benjen Stark?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yep, I always liked the Jojen Paste theory
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/1kxijq/spoilers_all_jojen_paste_revisited_why_it_might/
> 
> And, for those who like me, enjoys reading very romantic one shots, part of my idea for this chapter came from this lovely fic that shipps Meera and Benjen. But yes, I am not copying the style or the plot, but I am simply borrowing some elements:
> 
> It is called : In My Dreams, Wolf and I, by Caitlinlaurie  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/854551


	12. JON II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maester Aemon and Samwell convince Jon to do something unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, people, I managed to post once a day for a period, but now there is Summer and vacations and GAME OF THRONES, so I will stick to one post a week!

_Castle Black is in danger and I cannot let it fall. Maester Aemon is there; so it is Samwell and so many  friends. Mayhaps even Uncle Benjen ..._

The decision of leaving the Free Folk behind - and Ygritte- had been the most difficult Jon had made to that day. He could not regret it; his loyalties should lie within his family. _Both my families_.

Jon knew he only managed to integrate into Mance Rayder´s host because of his relationship with Ygritte. Part of him would always love her, the woman kissed by fire that taught him so many things, that showed Jon that the wildlings were more than just savages, that they were really the last of the First Men, the ones destined to be free. Part of Jon appreciated lthe Free Folk. 

Titles and prejudices meant very little to the Free Folk; Ygritte did not see him as a bastard, but as man

Mance Rayder did not look the part of a King, that much Jon had to admit, and yet the man had accepted as big responsibility as any monarch sitting on the Iron Throne. Gods, perhaps even bigger; a man who was merely trying to save his people from certain death, trying to offer their children a future.

_Is that not honourable enough? Why should Night's Watch fight against them if both are on the same side? The Realms of Men includes the Free Folk after all._

Jon met many men and women at that camp, people made of flesh and blood as he was, breathing the same air and sharing the same earth. Jon saw fathers and mothers protecting their families; warriors and spearwives ready to fight tooth and nail to leave that forsaken place; even wargs were escaping the frozen lands, their mere existence serving to remind Jon that his connection with Ghost was not only magical, but real.

He met strong and colurful types like Tormund Giantsbane,  who claimed to have slept with a bear and even fathered half bear children with his Shella. Jon smiled at the thought :  _if ever a man was to mate with a bear, this man would have been Tormund!_

But also more somber characters, like Styr, the Magnar of Thenn. In spite of their differences, Jon came to respect the warrior, as he understood the man had no other choice.

When Mance told Jon to join Styr and Ygritte on a mission south of The Wall, at first he thought it was a good idea. He had stayed for many moon turns among the Free Folk, but was unable to find any real clue regarding the disappearance of his uncle, Benjen. Not to mention that Jon feared his disguise would no longer work if circumstances forced him to do something that went against his beliefs. 

It was bad enough that the free folk considered Jon to have married into them. His feelings for Ygritte ran deep, but could he see himself having a future with her? Not really, he had to admit. As much as he admired the strength and the character of the Free Folk, Jon did not want to live like them.

So, Jon did as Mance Rayder had commanded him to,  as the good kneeler he was, and went with Styr´s band. They climbed The Wall and made into the lands of the Gift, where they walked  and reached Queenscrown after a sennight. As Jon knew from his stay with Brand, they used the secret entrance and stayed in the tower.

A lone knight came to the abandoned village nearby and they saw it as a threat to their mission; Jon refused to kill the lone man and his cover was no more.

He fled.

***

“My boy, where have you been? You left to Winterfell and Samwell told me you had crossed The Wall in search of your uncle Benjen! Is that true?”

Maester Aemon did not sound like he was reproaching Jon for his actions, but rather worried about him, perhaps weary of losing a family member he had just recently met .

There was also something else in the Maester´s questions to Jon. Perhaps some... curiosity? Maesters were known as the Knights of the Mind after all, always looking for more knowledge, even the kind they would not find in books or parchments.

“They are going to attack Castle Black, soon, perhaps even tomorrow. I came to help prepare the defenses. We need to inform Mole's town, so that they can seek refuge elsewhere.”

Aemon held Jon´s hands very tight, nodding his head. “ We knew trouble was brewing! Samwell, please gather our war council, there is work to be done. “

Samwell left them both alone and Jon briefly explained to Aemon the Free Folk were trying to go south because the White Walkers were warging war against them. Problem was, the longer they stayed beyond the wall, probably more wights would be gained by The Others Army.

But how to make thousands of years of hate and conflict go away? Maester Aemon agreed with Jon; something had to be done, and fast.

“First, we defend Castle Black against this group; we need to start negotiating  a truce with Mance Rayder and also convince our men this is the only way. We are all alone here, Jon; they are still fighting for the Iron Throne in the South and they will not send us resources or reinforcements."

Even if they managed to save the Free Folk, convince some of them to bend the knee and cross their gates, how would they provide for them? The lands of the Night's Watch were abandoned; not enough crops to feed them.

“Jon, I think there is a way. To save them is to save us. Did you see the red comet? Did you hear what happened on Eastwatch? Commander Pyke agreed to keep it as a secret, but we do have dragons now, Jon. Daenerys left to gather forces and to allow them time to grow. We need her to come back but to fight North before going south: the Iron Throne can wait. The more I study and think, Jon, more I am convinced the true reason we came to Westeros and we survived Valyria was to fight The Others; Daenys the dreamer had other prophecies about our family, but the tale got lost. “

_Could it be? That  Dany´s fight- our fight-  is not South, but North?_

“Tell me what are you thinking we should do, Maester Aemon.”

“If I am correct, then a truce was made thousands of years ago and we have The Wall as a guarantee. It is a defense, obviously; mayhaps even more. Mayhaps it is there also to remind us that the enemy has not been defeated. That we did not win the last time around, just pushed them further. Jon, we need to win this time. To defeat them is to not have a need for The Wall. Samwell killed one of the White Walkers with dragonglass; we have plenty of it at Dragonstone, when Daenerys comes back, we can take it again and mine it. With fire we can kill wights. We need to kill each one of them so that we are safe again.”

Jon had to agree: it seemed terribly simple and very logical. How they would go about actually accomplishing such a victory was another thing entirely.

Samwell came back saying they would soon be ready for the war room meeting; Maester Aemon asked his steward to close the door and sit by the fire with him and Jon.

“We will need to elect a Lord Commander. The next one should lead us in this fight against the Army of the Undead. The next one should command his men to save the free folk, thus avoiding the Army of the Undead from adding to their numbers. We have enough land in the Gift; we could move the remaining farmers here to better lands in the New Gift, or allow them to move to Umber and Karstark lands; the free folk could stay in the Gift and pay us rent; we could use some of their man to protect The Wall with us. If we truly defeat them, the world as we know now will end and a new one, a better one, will emerge. The way things are, if we allow it, they will elect a stubborn Commander and we will get killed even before the White Walkers come. We cannot let this happen…”

“Maester, do you mean we need to convince the next Lord Commander to allow the wildlings through and work with them? “

“No. We need to elect our own Lord Commander. As a Maester, I need to remain neutral. However, you , Samwell, you could influence Commanders Pyke and Mallister otherwise when need arise. Either you act, Sam,  or The Night´s Watch will be paralysed, on a deadlock, too busy to notice the White Walker coming for us.”

 

***

Maester Aemon would not bulge; the war to come was too important an issue and he only saw one solution: Jon had to be made Lord Commander.

“No candidate have the ⅔ votes to win as of now. Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys Mallister vote for their garrisons; neither have the numbers to get elected. I will not lose time speaking of Janos Slynt and Ser Aliser Throne; they would have chances to win if we do not act. Jon,  Lord Commander Jeor had deemed you worthy enough of Longclaw; everybody saw you training, and the Commander himself said you were working for The Watch. Go with Samwell to the heart tree, take your vows and come back a brother. I will tell the others you infiltrated the Free Folk for us; help defend Castle Black, leading our men in battle. They will elect you and you will guide us out of the Long Night.”

_The old man looks sweet and vulnerable, but he is far from it._

“Aye! You mean to ask me about the celibacy vow, yes? Do not worry about it, Jon : in a couple of years, you will either be dead, or the Night's Watch will be no more. Your wildling wife will not take you back after you betrayed her.”

_Actually, yes, that is exactly what I had in mind, uncle. Not being in the cold, surrounded by cold and waiting for creatures from the cold to come and fight us at any time; no, I was thinking about not being able to have sex…_

When he thought he had nowhere to go and that nobody would ever love him, Jon turned to the Night's Watch. Now, he had seen more of the world, learned about himself and his family and was eager to fight with Dany, first in the North and then in South. Jon had even found a woman who loved him for what he was.

Obviously, it was too good to be true. 

_It is the only way; Janos Slynt, Cotter Pyke, it will not matter, they will leave the Free Folk behind and we will have to fight them many times over, until we all die. By the Old Gods, I hope we win and that it will not take that long!_

When Jon came back with Samwell, he was wearing black.

 

***

Many residents from Mole's town, alerted by Jon, came to the Castle to help defend it. Some did run as it was expected, but the ones that remained seemed motivated to fight, in spite of their lack of militar training.

A boy called Olyver was among the folk of Mole's town. He came from a nearby farm and told Jon that wildlings killed and ate his family. The boy was visibly shaken by the experience and Jon knew the River Clans were known to eat human flesh, so the boy´s story had the bearing of truth. His hatred for the Free Folk was understandable, but it would not help Jon and Aemon´s plans; he decided to ask the boy to squire for him, reasoning it would be easier to have Olyver by his side instead of spreading his tale of woe

There was a lot to be done and Jon supposed it was one of the reasons why nobody raised eyebrows about him being a black brother now. The defenses were prepared by Jon and Donal Noye who placed archers in the towers, many brothers on the staircase on the south face of The Wall and even dummies at their roofs and windows, giving the impression their numbers were larger than the reality had it.

Morning came and with it, the wildling warriors.

At first, it seemed that the archers were holding up the Thenns that were being led by Styr himself; in spite of their loses, the black brothers  were also able to inflict the enemy enough casualties, especially when they started pouring boiling water on Thenns trying to reach the Tower.

And then, Jon realised it might be over when the untrained folk from Mole's town break formation and flee, their inexperience overwhelmed by the furious attack .

Jon looks back and screams : “We need to get back to the Gate, Satin!”

When most of Styr men are on the stairs, soaked in oil, Jon gives the order and the wooden stais are set  ablaze.

The screams of agony are almost unberable.

Surrounded by the confusion that followed, Jon saw Ygritte already inside; as he marched towards her, a single arrow fatally wounded the red haired woman.

Jon cradled her in his arms, not caring for the battle still happening behind him. 

With her last breath, Ygritte said : “We should have stayed in that cave, Jon.”

 

***

King Stannis came defeated from the south just to emerge victorious over the combined free folk forces.

He was the only one to answer for their pleas of help, Jon had to give him that; Dany was too far away to know what was really happening at The Wall.

Jon was forced to form an alliance of sorts with Stannis and was surprised to notice he was actually getting quite fond of the Baratheon King. Robert, the man who killed his father and would have killed him, was a figure from the past and even Maester Aemon was being pragmatic.

Had Jon been allowed to taken his vows with Samwell and the others, he would be really committed to the Watch; but the situation was different and he saw it as a temporary sacrifice and he considered that his real commitment was the protcetion of mankind. The Watch was simply a  tool to be used to save as many lives as possible.

Stannis could be used for this purpose, Jon concluded. He did not feel bad about it, as it was clear the King himself was using Jon and The North to his advantage.

King Stannis arrived with less than two thousand knights and horses. He was planning on using the Free Folk in her Army, to take the Dreadfort and rally The North behind his cause, to liberate Winterfell and eventually march south as Robb had done.

One day, Jon was training with Satin in the yard when King Stannis trusted advisor, the Lady Melissandre, approached him. She said His Grace wanted a word with Jon, a knowing smile gracing her red lips.

Jon followed her and found King Stannis, standing alone at the edge of The Wall, dressed in black , looking almost identical as any men of the Watch.

Jon and Stannis talked at length about The Wall, the coming election and the King's desire to march soon. The world knew Jon to be the Bastard of Winterfell; not being a naive boy anymore, Jon was expecting Stannis to try and use the fact in his war. When the King made Jon admit the affair with Ygritte, which was still a sore subject, he turned the political conversation to a more personal one. Jon saw the change as more of a confirmation than a surprise,.

“Are you fond of Val?” Stannis asked, matter of factly.

 _Val._ The men in Stannis camp started to call her the “wildling princess”. She sure looked the part, Jon allowed it. Val has golden blond hair and blue eyes, thin waist and full bosom. She is as beautiful as any woman at Court, Jon thinks to himself. _Not as beautiful as Dany...my aunt is...but still, a lovely face and an even lovelier body._

“I scarcely know her.”

Jon went to Mance Rayder's camp while King Stannis was marching; he helped Val protect Dalla, Mance´s wife, and deliver their baby boy. After their defeat, Val and the other´s were being held at Castle Black, as prisoners.

“They tell me she is comely.”

 “Very.”

Jon had never been with a woman before Ygritte; to that date sex was simply not part of his life, except in his wild dreams. It made things even worse; it would be easier to forsake his natural desires back when he still ignored the pleasures to be found in a woman's body. That he was not made for the Night's Watch became clear to Jon as soon as he noticed the effects that Val's presence elicited on him at night.

“ I need a son of Eddard Stark to win them to my banner.”

_I am not even a son of Eddard Stark, Lord Baratheon._

Lady Melisandre saw the look on his face : “ A vow sworn to a tree has no more power than  one sworn to your shoes. Burn these weirwoods and accept Winterfell as a gift of the Lord of Light.”

_They ask me to simply renounce my vows and my Gods to gain a castle. Are they fools?_

King Stannis, though, wants to repopulate The Gift with the Free Folk. Jon thinks for a second this is good news, until they mention the Lord of Light again. Bending the knees, even of the Giants. _For someone who has so little to offer, King Stannis asks too much._

“ I mean to wed my Lord of Winterfell to this wildling princess.”

Jon is far weaker than he thought; a strange part of him agrees with this plan for a brief second.

_They are fools, offering me a free woman as if she were their to give._

***

Jon Snow was elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch by a landslide.

Nobody was more surprised than Jon. He knew it was the plan, but he thought it would not come to be : “I was not aware I had so many...friends.”

Samwell was, understandably, happy for the results and wanted all the praise he could get : “ You do not have many friends, Jon; you have a couple of friends that matter. That is all. Do not ask me how I convinced Mallister and Pyke to drop out and support you. And please, do not ask me how I managed to have Mormont's crow come back and say your name in front of our brothers…”

_Oh, yes, the crow! Men were really impressed at the crow´s appearance in the kettle. How did he manage it? Lots of corn?_

Regardless of how he had won the election, he was made Lord Commander and they swore to obey him, Jon thought. _My orders will make me unpopular in no time, but so be it._

Jon announced the plan to have the Free Folk to settle The Gift, explaining they would pay rent and tend the lands long abandoned for The Watch. He also provided his men with reasons and justifications, making it clear that their survival would be a direct result of this strategy. Winter was coming, the Watch was poor and could not afford to buy supplies or to fight over hundreds of thousands of wights. If they would not allow the Free Folk south of The wall, they would either die of starvation or become twhite walkers meat puppets.

Unpopular as it was, the threat of  total annihilation should have been enough to keep his men from rebelling, Jon thought. Soon, he realized how wrong he was when his squire, Olly, started to whine about saving the Free Folk. _If I cannot convince a 12 years old kid, imagine someone as wretched as Janos Slynt?_

In no time Jon´s fears became reality and he had to behead Slynt for insubordination. 

_Now, I hope my men will think twice before contradicting me._

 ***

Jon Snow challenged tradition by allowing the free folk south of The Wall and disobeyed the Law when he decided to aid King Stannis in his crusade to liberate Winterfell.

“There are other men to be had in The North, Your Grace. The Northern Clans would join in with you and fight against the Boltons, if you correctly approach them. Do not siege the Dreadfort so close to Winter; instead, go  down southwest and liberate castles still garrisoned by the Ironmen, like Deepwood Motte.”

To Jon´s immense relief, King stannis changed his plans.

Perhaps feeling that Val was too much of a distraction, Jon decided to task her with finding Tormund Giantsbane. The free woman was locked in a Tower, the giant Wun Wun as her only protection against hundreds of men who were undoubtedly lusting after her, Lord Commander included.

When presented with such a challenge, Val simply smiled and said : “ You have my thanks, Lord Snow. For the half blind horse, the salt cod, the fresh air. For hope.”

King Stannis charged Lord Commander Snow with the safety of his family: the ugly wife, Queen Selyse; the scarred child, the sweet Shireen; and even the dangerous mistress, Lady Melisandre. They all stayed behind at Castle Black, more mouths to feed and more headaches to have.

 

***

Jon´s tenure as Lord Commander was a mixture of constant worries and never ending problems.

The Red Woman, Melisandre, was as beautiful and powerful as she was fanatical and persistent. One day, she approached Jon Snow about her visions, telling him Arya was about to arrive on a horse.

_Arya! My sister, I do hope you come. I know you are still alive!_

Indeed, a woman crossed their gates on a dying horse, but it was Lady Alys Karstark and not Arya, who supposedly had married the bastard of Bolton, Ramsay, and was at Winterfell.

During his time with the Free Folk, Mance Rayder had boasted to Jon how he was able to infiltrate Winterfell during King's Robert´s visit. Jon had doubted, but the man gave him many details that showed he had first hand knowledge of Winterfell. 

Because of this memory, Lord Commander Jon decided, once again, to make use of his title to pursue a personal matter: he released Mance Rayder from captivity and tasked him with rescuing Arya from the hands of Lord Bolton.

There were other practical concerns, matters easier to solve and that actually brought Jon a small deal of satisfaction, like sending Samwell Tarly to the Citadel to study the mysteries associated with the Long Night.

Or Lady Alyss Karstark.

When she arrived, Jon had been disappointed it was not Arya. However, Alys still needed help. She wanted to fight a greedy uncle who was planning on having her brother killed and Alys married to his son. The information she provided Jon regarding her uncle was very important and Jon was able to inform King Stannis in time and avert a tragedy on his campaign.

Since Lady Alys needed fighting men and there were a couple of hundred capable Thenns warriors stationed at Castle Black, Jon approached Alys and offered to arrange her marriage to the new and unattached Magnar, Sigorn.

 Jon was content; he managed to help a fellow northerner and to get rid of the Thenns with one act. 

***

“Kill the boy, Jon. Kill the boy, and let the man be born.”

  _Maester Aemon warned me. I am sure he did not mean exactly this, but he did warn me. So did Lady Melisandre._

The letter was sent with the Bolton seal. Jon knew the importance of the war to come, yet he also wanted to save Arya. Who could blame a brother from trying to rescue his little sister from the hands of criminals?

Jon did not pay any mind when his squire, Olyver, came . He was always a bit annoyed by the young lad, but he did not expect him to be a murderous traitor.

As he fell to his knees, the cold invading his lungs, Jon called Ghost to his side.

The assassins left his body, probably afraid the direwolf would attack them.

_Ghost! Ghost!_

Jon closed his eyes.

Then, he smelled blood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, the order of some events here might not be in exact CANON order, but mostly in this chapter I am playing with intentions and motivations.
> 
> I enjoy giving Jon more agency regarding his plans and in having Maester Aemon and Samwell to be plotters!
> 
> As you can see, I just used the rigged election as a plot device, but having Jon joining the Watch ONLY because they needed him to be Lord Commander; as Maester Aemon said- we either die as wights or the Night´s Watch will cease to exist because we defeated the WW- that is the twist!
> 
> https://www.quora.com/A-Song-of-Ice-and-Fire-book-series-How-exactly-did-Samwell-Tarly-and-the-Old-Bears-crow-rig-the-election


	13. ARYA & SANDOR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Gendry part ways.  
> Sandor and Arya go to Braavos where they have a couple of unexpected meetings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soon, I will end part 2 and we will see more of Dany and Jon ( yes, he will come back from the dead yay!)

Arya Stark was no believer in the religion of her Lady Mother - there were too many rules and hymns to be memorized- and had always favored the Old Gods of her Lord Father. It was quite simple in Arya´s eyes: a walk in the godswood would make her feel comforted when she was sad and sitting by the heart tree usually brought peace to her soul whereas she would feel distressed in the confined space of the Sept, the smell of incense unpleasant to her nose.

In spite of her true feelings regarding the Faith, Arya was now certain that the teachings found within the Seven Pointed Star were actually quite accurate when it came to their description of Hell; there should be Seven Hells, because Arya knew Harrenhal was definitely one of them.

How many had died in that Castle of Dread?

Hundreds?

Thousands?

Arya was aware that any day at Harrenhal could be her last.

Despair was slowly eating at her like poison, her mind no longer a place of safety. But then, when she thought all was lost, Arya recognized Jaqen at Harrenhal.

He was dressed as a soldier and did not make any effort to hide his face from her. Arya had saved Jaqen from certain death by fire, but once he disappeared, she assumed they would never see each other again.

At the end of that day, they managed to talk and Jaqen told Arya that he was a paid assassin on a secret mission.

 _Good thing that Jaqen granted me three deaths. If I have said the names of Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey, the war would have ended…_ Tommen being just a boy and Jaime, captured, the Lannisters would have crumbled. _Had I said their names, I would have saved thousands of lives, but would have lost mine._  Arya was just trying to survive and escape when she asked Jaqen to kill the guards; only later she realized, with horror, the chance she had wasted.

There was still hope, she thought. Hope for Mother and Robb; hope for Winterfell and The North. Arya also dreamed of seeing Nymeria once again: she was forced to freed her wolf in the forests to keep her disguice as a boy while  travelling with Yoren  to The Wall.

When Arya arrived at Crossroads Inn that day, she was still hopeful; she has, after all , escaped Harrenhal not only intact but also with her two friends, Gendry and Hot Pie.  She did not want to admit it, but there were days Arya thought they would never leave that vile place.

The happiness was, as always, short lived; Arya got recognized by Thoros of Myr and was held as a “ guest” by the the Brotherhood without Banners. To her consternation, Arya saw Gendry getting too friendly with some members of the group.

Despite her misgivings about the Brotherhood, Lord Beric swore it was their intention to deliver Arya to her brother and she saw no reason to distrust his words.

_Yes, it is just a matter of time now. Soon I will be with mother and Robb._

Once again, Arya´s hopes were dashed when Sandor Clegane, from all people, came upon them. She did try to hide, but as the dog Clegane was, he smelled the presence of the wolf .

Arya was so pissed at her bad luck that she failed to find  the trial by combat between the Houd and Lord Beric exciting.  _That fucking flaming sword was as stupid as Joffrey trying to pass off as a Baratheon spawn. Besides,  Beric was no match for Clegane._ Not even the ressurrection impressed Arya:   _Lord Beric did not look to be completely dead to me and I had better things to do than to look at another corpse._

_***_

“I will get my things and  tell my friends we are leaving.” Arya announced to Clegane as she went to search for Gendry and Hot Pie.

Clegane made a disapproving noise and said : “Better leave them behind, wolfgirl;  they will only slow us down.”

Arya ignored the hateful man and went for her friends.

Hot Pie gave her a loaf of bread in the shape of a wolf and said he wanted to stay and work; Arya did not like the idea of leaving him behind, but she had to admit there were very few opportunities for one to become a baker. Also,  Hot Pie had the terrible habit of speaking about food all the time, a particularly annoying trait when you are starving more often than not .

She found Gendry in the forge, speaking with one of the Brotherhood's members about arrows.

“We should leave now before they change their minds, Gendry. Clegane will take us to my mother and brother. He might be ugly, but he is a skilled warrior and we can trust his need for gold...”

“I am not leaving, Arya. I want to stay with the Brotherhood and become a knight!”

Arya did not have time for this, she thought, but tried to reason with him: “We came here together; I saved you at Harrenhal and we left together. We are a pack now! Why do you want to stay and not go to Winterfell with me? Knights are stupid!”

Gendry was shirtless and sweaty, Arya did her best not to stare at his muscles. He looked at her with grieving eyes :“You would not understand it, Arya.I am an orphan; You were raised in a Castle, with a family, like a proper lady. I never had a family.”

_When was I a lady? Where is my family now?I saw my father being executed; I have been hunted down since King's Landing; I am hungry, dirty and cold, same as he is. Did I ever complain? Why is he being so stupid, so selfish?_

“What about me, Gendry? I could be your family! You could stay in Winterfell with us!”

Gendry shook his head:“ You would be Milady to me, Arya. I am a bastard. I know my place!”

“Why did you kiss me then, Gendry?” Arya spat; she regretted immediately. It had happened the night after they left Harrenhal. _He said I was pretty and gave me a kiss. Am I as silly as Sansa then? Now he will think I care!_

“I did not know you were a princess then... and you are too young anyway, Arya. It would never work. Forgive me. I cannot go with you.”

“You will regret this, Gendry.” Arya did not want to cry, to look weak, but she felt tears. Before he could see she was crying, she just run and yelled : “Fuck you. Fuck this silly brotherhood. Fuck this place. I am leaving.”

_I should put Gendry on my list... How could he desert me? To become a Knight? I mean, Hot Pie I could understand it. But Gendry? I thought we were friends!_

Arya knew Gendry had a good heart and was not out of malice that he was leaving her. In the end, however, it did  not matter; he chose the Brotherhood, a bunch of outlaws who worshiped a Red Demon, over her, a friend who had shared fears and dreams with him and was genuine in her offer of a family.

She took then a  good look at Sandor Clegane before they left. _This one might actually stick around and help me leave this nightmare behind._

During her journey from King's Landing through the Crownlands and Riverlands, Arya had learned that violence came in many forms: she saw women and men being raped; orphaned children without much to eat or wear; soldiers being tortured and young men being executed. In many ways, Arya felt as a soldier and she knew Clegane would understand without the need of talk.

Arya simply did not want to talk about what she had lost.

“Time to go, wolf bitch.” _Gods! Even his voice is ugly!_

“You are not the boss of me, Hound! But yes, we should go.” Because she did not have a horse, she would be  sharing the saddle with Clegane, an experience that promised to be not pleasant. Arya decided however, to make the most of the situation:  “ Mayhaps you could teach me how to yield a different kind of sword. I only learned water dancing.”

Arya then proudly showed Needle, the sword Jon Snow gave her before going to The Wall.

“ It is a fine work, castle forged, wolfgirl! “ Because she came closer to Arya to inspect the sword, Clegane could see she had been crying. “What is the problem, Stark? Little boyfriend of yours was more impressed with Lord Dondarrion fiery sword than with your Needle?”

“Piss off, Clegane! Gendry is not thinking right, that is all. He wants to be a knight.”

“Ha! Knights are all cunts! The Bastard has little sense if you ask me. ”

They rode in silence until they found a place to make camp. Clegane explained that Robb was to attend a wedding at The Twins and was telling his plans for their journey.

However, Arya was still too hurt about Gendry to even acknowledge what Sandor was saying, something the scarred man noticed after she failed to pass him a piece of bread after he had asked four times over.

Grabbing some of the bread from her hands, Sandor said : “No need to think too much about him, Stark. We are better off without him. Aye, handsome lad he is, thick as a wall no doubt. Happens quite often, you know that,  wolf bitch?”

Arya felt too tired to talk, but had to say something just to shut that hateful mouth up :“Is the opposite true then? If so, you would be as smart as an Archmaester, Clegane!”

Clegane did not look too offended at the insult :“ I know my letters and numbers. It will serve me well when I return his sister to the King In the North. I do not trust northerners and I will count every single gold coin the young wolf is to give me.”

 

***

Sandor Clegane was by no means a pleasant man but, as the days turned to weeks, Arya had grown accustomed to his terrible manners, ill temper and rude remarks. She would not go as far as to call him a friend and yet there was an undeniable sense of mutual respect. After all she was benefiting immensely from Sandor´s  vast experience in warring and foraging; they would spar often and he was far better than Gendry and Hot Pie ever were when it came to hunting and scavenging, which meant Arya was eating better and more often now than before.

After a meal of roasted squirrel, they talked about their plans:

“How far are we from the Twins, Clegane?”

“I would say a couple of nights. Damm fool your brother King if you ask me, storming The Crag as he did... Lord Tywin has a tight grip on his bannermen and I am surprised that your brother managed to leave the Westerlands alive. “ Sandor paused to bite his piece of the squirrel, then continued. “ You know that Lord Walder Frey has a son married to Genna Lannister? The man is also less than respectful towards his Liege,  Lord Tully. There is something not right about this wedding...”

Arya felt a pang in her heart; she was now alarmed. Clegane was often right in his assessments and he had spent enough time at Court to know the players of the game well. _What was he implying?_

“What are you trying to say, Clegane? Is there something else you know?”

“No, wolfgirl, I am not keeping anything from you. Lord Weasel has many sons though; he might have agreed to betray his second son's good brother just to get rid of a couple of weasels. A trout is a good match, but even better if they offer a wolf too.”

“Well, Sansa is betrothed to Lord Willas…” Arya could not believe it.  “Do you mean my brother would have me wed a Frey? Yikes!”

“Aye, King Robb is your King and you will do as he commands. You are an unwed princess, that is what princess are for. “ Sandor was not looking at Arya, but he could sense her eyes on him. “ Do you still think about the blacksmith, wolfgirl? He is the natural son of the late King Robert, but a bastard nevertheless. King Robb would never allow it.Your mother would never allow it. Robb is no longer your brother, but your King. I say he will have you wed to a Frey as soon as you bleed. He needs that bridge.”

_Mother would have liked me to be a proper Lady and to have me wed a great Lord; Mayhaps it is like Clegane says and Robb agrees with her? Robb is King now ...Gendry could be made a Baratheon by Royal Decree...why do I care about him? Gendry does not even know who his father was..._

There was another way, Arya remembered suddenly : “ I will not marry a Frey, Clegane. My Lord Father had other plans for me. Do you remember Lord Beric´s squire?”

“The Dayne boy?”

“Yes! Ned Dayne, they call him. Well, he made it clear when we were introduced by Thoros of Myr that my father offered him my hand in marriage. “ _And I did not believe him; dornishemen are known to lie about such things._

Clegane was not impressed : “Words are wind. If you do not have your Father´s seal on a letter, your brother will sell your maidenhead off to the highest bidder, girl. I thought you were the smart one! What is wrong with you, Stark girls? One is a little bird and the other is a helpless wolf!”

_He keeps calling Sansa “little bird”. He talks about Sansa more than I do…_

“Did Sansa like it?”

“What?”

“When you called her “little bird”? How does she call you? “Knight Puppy” mayhaps?”

Sandor did not answer her and remains silent.

Arya starts to recite her list:

_Ser Amory Lorch. Ser Gregor Clegane. Ser Ilyn Payne. Ser Meryn Trant. King Joffrey. Queen Cersei..._

 

***

“Arya! Arya!”

_She is not there; somewhere, in her dreams, she is running free, feeling the wet earth on her feet, the wind carrying the scents of animals, plants and rain._

“Arya! Wake up! We need to go!”

When Arya finally manages to be pulled out from her reverie, she is crying: “ You should have helped me! We should have saved Robb and Mother! You are a coward!”

Sandor knows it is not true; he saved her from certain death when he knocked her out unconscious and dragged her off. He knew Arya _knew_ it would be impossible, even for The Hound, to invade The Twins and rescue her family.  It was the pain speaking; there was no use for arguing with Arya.

“Wolfgirl, you are still alive. You sister is still alive. You have an aunt and a cousin in The Vale, remember? I could take you there.”

Arya stopped crying and thought about her list. _Lord Walder Frey. Roose Bolton, the new Warden of the North._ She did not know this aunt, Lysa; she had only heard the childhood stories her mother told and Lysa Arryn did not sound much like the kind of woman that would assist Arya in avenging her family.

No, quite the opposite: this aunt in the Vale would dress Arya like a little Lady, arrange for her to be wed, perhaps one of her Vale bannermen and, in the end, would ship her off somewhere, to manage her husband's Keep and give him heirs that would one day claim Winterfell. _In his name._

“No. I know my aunt.” Arya lied. “ She would have you arrested and she might not even recognize me with this clothes. Braavos is safer. For both of us... We are not that far from Seaguard.”

Sandor looked incredulous at first, but not dismissive of her idea :“ It would be dangerous... We do have two horses now and if we are fast, we would arrive a day or so before the Lannister's forces. However, we would need to avoid stopping at Lannisport for supplies. All in all, not a bad idea to go to Braavos. From Seaguard it would be a long and expensive trip though. How would we pay for two passages and a horse?The Brotherhood took my gold, remember?”

Arya mellowed somewhat at this, as she realized Clegane was serious about going with her, with or without ransom. _More than Gendry, who was my friend, was willing to risk for me._

“Gulltown is further south and closer to Braavos; the journey shorter and cheaper, I reckon. We could sell my horse and take Stranger if you really insist. We could also...loot the bodies we find on the way. Might be a good idea to have a new helmet for you, to hide your face. ”

Sandor agreed :“I have some gold in the Iron Bank, always thought about leaving one day; you will not need to work there.”

“Why are you helping me, Clegane?” Arya sensed there was some personal reason behind it and wanted to know; she decided to push him to see if he would give her a straight answer. “ Is it because of Sansa?”

Clegane did not answer.

 

***

Arya left Sandor nearby at an Inn, a hood covering most of his face, and went to the docks organize their departure; she found a trading ship called _Titan´s Daughter_ that had enough space for the three of them and was leaving soon.

Since the gold she offered was not deemed enough to buy them passages, Arya decided to make another offer.

“Valar Morghulis” Arya said, as she handed the captain the strange coin Jaqen had gifted her once.

“Valar Dohaeris. We leave in a couple of hours. You will have a cabin, but the horse should behave, otherwise it has to stay behind.”

Arya returned to the Inn and found Sandor tending to Stranger,  calmly stroking the destrier´s face: “ We need to leave now. Stranger has to be a good boy, or the captain will not allow him on board.”

“Did you hear that, friend? Once we are in Braavos, you can stretch your legs.” Sandor then turned to Arya and asked: “ Have you heard the news? “

“No.” _Please, do not tell me either Sansa and Jon are dead_. “ What? Say it  at once for fuck´s sake!”

Sandor continued to pet Stranger, but answered very matter of factly : “King Joffrey, that little cunt, died from poisoning, choked to death on his wedding; they think it was the Imp. Lady Sansa escaped and nobody knows where she is. Queen Cersei must be spitting fire through her mouth, the bitch!”

This was song to Arya´s ears and she laughed for some time, happy that the bastard King met such a fitting end. It took a while for her to recover, but eventually she did and asked as discreetly as possible :  “Do you think Sansa might come to the Eyrie then? ”

Clegane shook his head : “Mayhaps the Tyrell's managed to smuggle out of the Red Keep. Last time I saw her , she believed they would rescue her. “

 

***

Although Stranger was restless, the captain did not say anything and they boarded the ship, sailing as soon as the Sun set. Sandor refused to share the cabin with Arya and decided to help the sailors in what he could, only joining her during the meals, which gave Arya time to think about the changes in her life, and in her body.

Arya flowered during the voyage, an event that made her grieve even more the loss of her mother. _At least I will not hear Septa Mordane telling me I am a woman now. Poor woman!_

As they approached Braavos, it became apparent to Clegane that something was very wrong with the way the crew treated Arya:

“Spill it, girl. What have you done to them?” Sandor was not as angry as he was legitimately curious to know. “ They treat you with more respect than you deserve, wolfbitch.”

“ It is the week of my nameday, after all! The crew obviously agree I deserve some pampering.” Arya said nonchalantly. Clegane did not look convinced.

“Fuck me sideways! Like they would care about your nameday. Not sure _even you_ care at this point! What are you keeping from me, Arya Stark?”

_It is true though; my nameday does not mean anything to me, not when I know I will never be able to see Bran and Rickon, Robb and Mother and Father._

“You are the one keeping secrets. What happened between you and my sister? You have this strange look when you talk about her.”

Clegane came closer to Arya, took a deep breath and let it all out: how Sansa had been treated by Joffrey; how he had saved her from being raped in King's Landing and even that he had offered to take her with him, only to be turned down that night when Blackwater burned green and red: “ She looked me in the eyes,  kissed me and told me to go and save myself.“

 

***

As they docked at the Ragman´s harbour, the word on the street was that a Silver Haired Queen had taken residence in Meereen with her three dragons and an army of freed slaves. The tale sounded absurd but was repeated so many time that both Sandor and Arya knew it to be true.  

Sandor discreetly handed the captain of the Titan's daughter some coin; although the Tyrells might be involved in Sansa´s disappearance, Clegane thought it was wise to have some ears at Gulltown. Lady Lysa Arryn was still in The Vale and remained neutral in the conflict, whereas the Tyrells were now in with the Lannisters.

“We should find out more about Daenerys Targaryen, wolfgirl. They said she keeps some sort of embassy here . It would not hurt to pay her castellan a visit and inform the Mother of Dragons of your presence. “

“You forget” Arya said sternly “ That my father helped depose hers?”

“No, Arya. Time changes everything. You are the one forgetting that the Starks are now against the Lannisters. _The enemy of your enemy is your friend_.”

Stranger was too big of a horse for the narrow streets and bridges of Braavos, but the destrier was happy to be outside, far from the confinements of the ship. It was not challenging to find the address for the supposed “Targaryen Embassy” in Braavos: a four store, slim building with peaked tile roof, made of grey stone. It was very similar to the other houses, both in structure as in colour. They could see candle lights inside, meaning that the “ castellan” as Sandor had called, should be home.

They knocked and , when the door opened, Arya was surprised to see a familiar face:

“Doreah?”

The young woman before them was very pretty, with long blond hair and blue eyes. She smiled and asked Arya and Sandor to come in.

“ We do have a small backyard for the horse, you just need to access it from the back street entrance. “

The house was comfortable without being ostentatious. Doreah was living with a couple that spoke the Common Tongue with a strange accent, perhaps people from The Wall or even beyond, Arya thought to herself.

“You must be tired from the trip. Are you hungry? It is time for Karsi to put her babe to bed, but we still have some  soup from today´s lunch.”

 

***

_Rickon is alive! Danelle was actually Daenerys and my father knew the whole time! Brandon is alive!_

All the misery of her first moonblood was forgotten as Doreah told them about Daenerys, Jon, Rickon and the dragons.

As it happened, Karsi and Gendel were indeed from the Free Folk, as Arya suspected, and had witnessed the birth of dragons at Eastwatch by the Sea, they chose to follow Daenerys to Essos. They only stayed in Braavos after it became obvious the woman was with child and because Doreah was sick.

“ They look rough, but they are good people: I would not have recovered as well as I did and would have failed Her Grace in managing the house without their help, I must admit. Now that everyone knows Queen Daenerys is in Meereen, I can stop pretending to be her. One day, she will return to Westeros to bring Fire and Blood to her enemies.”

Gendel went to the docks everyday, working loading and unloading cargo from the  ships. To their surprise, Gendel had actually managed to learn some of the language and helped them get by. When not in the wildling´s  company, Arya and Sandor would often go to the Moon Pools, where Bravos trained water dancing, or visit the local shops.

Doreah was still not in good health though: the dampness and fog of Braavos did not agree with her cough. She had willed herself to live in spite of all, and when she was feeling better, Doreah would attend plays and visit the fashionable cafes and markets, attracting many suitors.

Ten days passed and Arya grew restless; she still planned to enter the House and Black and White and train to become a Faceless Man. The final decision, however, was harder to make than she expected;  especially after she had learned that Rickon and Brandon were alive, hidden in deep of the northern wilderness.

During one of her incursions through Rangman´s Harbor, Arya suddenly heard a voice from her past:

“A man has been  waiting for you, lovely girl!”

“Jaqen! How did you I know I would come?”

“A man knows many things, including the day a girl arrived.”

Arya could feel her face reddening at the remark :“ If you knew where I was and when I arrived, why did you not come before?” ot able t contain herself, she blurted :” I...I missed you, Jaqen!”

Jaqen seemed pleased to hear it : “ A girl should hurry. The Many Faced God has work that needs to be done. A man will leave soon.”

It was not only revenge that was guiding Arya. She was also hungry for Justice. _I could have ended the war with three deaths. I could have avoided all the destruction and horror many men, women and children are now forced to see every single day of their lives._

There was power in revenge, she could not deny it. Arya wanted to be the last face Cersei saw before she died.

War is war; and war is ugly.

_I will have my Revenge but I will also grant Justice to the people._

 

***

“The Titan's Daughter has returned from Gulltown and I spoke with the Captain. It seems you made the right decision, after all: Lady Arryn was murdered not long after we left Westeros. They say it was a half mad bard. But I know better. The silly woman married no other than Littlecunt himself. But there is more to it...”

_Well, I will not lose any sleep for this aunt I never knew, but I also doubt a bard would kill a Lady in her Keep, half mad or not._

_”_ Do you think Lord Baelish killed her to claim the inheritance?”

“No, Arya, I think it is worse.” Clegane grey eyes looked like two black pearls now, Arya thought.

He paced back and forth while he spoke, his whole body betraying his agitation “ Littlefinger was not beyond boasting he had taken your mother´s maidenhead and I was in the throne room when he betrayed your father. I caught him looking at Sansa with hungry eyes a couple of times. Now he has custody of Lord Robert Arryn and they say his bastard daughter is now acting as Lady of the Eyrie. I know for a fact that Lord Baelish has no daughter, Arya. ”

_Petyr Baelish has Sansa!_

“I should leave tomorrow. I gave Captain Terry's enough gold to take me back to Gulltown. You should stay here and wait for the Dragon Queen. I might not make it back alive, but I will try to save the little bird. If I am lucky, I might find that brother of mine and kill him myself.”

Arya went to the Rangman´s Harbor with Sandor and saw him sail back to Westeros. She had already said her goodbyes to Doreah, Karsi and Gendel, making them believe she would return to Gulltown with Clegane.

_To end a war. Petyr Baelish. Queen Cersei. Ser Ilyn Payne..._

 

**END OF PART 2**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Arya and Sandor´s relationship; Of course, my sloppy writing did not do them justice, and my Sandor is now obviously changed by his first romantic experience and not so much of a tortured soul, but hey, Sansan is such a nice ship to sail :)
> 
> Yes, I brought up Arya´s age and her maturing into a young woman because yes, two years passed since the start, as in the original series; the difference is that here the children were aged up 2-3 years.
> 
> Therefore, although Arya is still a tomboy, she is dealing with changes in her body and fighting against her feelings for Gendry.


	14. Wolfsblood, Dragonblood- Dany and Jon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany and Jon share the same dream; she in the Red waste; he at The Wall.
> 
> Dany meets her husband, Khal Drogo and pmakes some plans.
> 
> Jon comes back and swears Vengeance on the Boltons.

Daenerys loved nothing more than the feel of warmth on her skin- she was the blood of the dragon after all- but there was something disgusting about the inclement Sun of Meereen.

They called her “Mother”, but she did not want those children.

She could not, however, deny her duties; Daenerys felt responsible for the well being of the freed slaves and knew some of them would face the Masters wroth if she was to leave.

In the end, the decision of staying in Meereen was made both out of self interest and genuine compassion:  her dragons needed time to grow and gain strength as far from Westeros as possible and Daenerys could not allow Meereen to return most of its citizens to a life without freedom. 

Despite her good and bad intentions, Daenerys would never love Meereen. She counted the days until her ships would be ready to sail back to the Narrow Sea and liberate Westeros from the Baratheons and Lannisters.

They called her " Breaker of chains" and Daenerys was proud of it; she intended to change the area for good and to rename it Bay of Dragons, both as a symbol of her status as Conqueror and as a warning to the Masters to not defy her. 

But it pained her to be there.

_Queen of a land I do not understand; ruler to the Ghiscari, a civilization I loath; and now, to be married to a man I despise._

Daenerys felt she needed to learn the day to day business of rulership; Eddard Stark had always told her she lacked experience, but had the intelligence and the makings of a good Queen, but he went to Kings Landing and died;  Oberyn Martell told her the same, but he went to Kings Landing and died.

Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan were her shields and advisors; they wanted her to go back to Westeros, but eventually agreed that Daenerys should stay in Meereen, long enough to stabilize the region. She could not have Meereen fail; Daenerys was prepared to meet the Ghiscari half way, in an effort to pacify the city and provide  its people the tools to choose their destiny when she was to leave.

But what are the limits of peace? When is the price of peace, as heavy as the price for war?

Daenerys then opened her court to the Green Grace and welcomed some reformed slavers to her Council. She even conceded to open the Fighting Pits, to appease the elites and the commoners alike.

The opposition, called the Sons of the Harpy,  had been silenced when Daenerys agreed to marry one of the nobles called Hizdaar. As with Meereen, Daenerys did not love this man, but felt she had a duty and was willing to accept this temporary arrangement in the name of Peace.

The only concession Daenerys refused to make in the name of Peace was to restrain her dragons.

Maester Aemon had explained that dragons would cease to grow when in captivity and Daenerys felt the only three dragons born in hundreds of years had the right to develop as naturally as possible. When they started to become more wild, Daenerys decided to spend more time with them, determined to train the dragons herself. Daenerys knew it was only a temporary solution as they needed riders, but it was what she could do.

Rhaegal made his lair on the top of a Pyramid and refused to leave; Daenerys had to pay off and move the owners of the building to allow the green dread his peace.

Viserion followed suit and chose, luckily for the Queen, an abandoned Pyramid as his new home.

Eddor was the biggest of the three; he would leave Meereen for days, flying the sea and hunting the lands nearby. But he was the closest to her heart and  Daenerys could sense Eddor´s presence even when he was far from her, their bond growing stronger as the days passed.  

Now, more than ever, watching the dreadful spetacle of men fighting in the Pits, Daenerys wanted to be somewhere else othen than in Meereen.

“Oh, honeyed locusts? " Daeneyrs hated _even_ their food. "Please, Missandei, could you ask some apricots and dried fruits for me? “ Before her translator could answer her, Daenerys noticed a strange commotion in the audience. _Why did I agree to come here to the Pits? I should have stayed at the Pyramid!_ Daenerys first instint was to command her Unsullied Guards to accompany her back to safety.

Too late: Daenerys saw herself being surrounded by harpies, her men fighting as best as they could to protect her.

 _I do not fear them. The dragon does not fear the Harpy._  Daenerys breathed in, closed her eyes, and exhaled. When she opened her eyes, Daenerys saw Eddor. The screams and sounds of clasping swords and spears kept fading behind her as she  got closer to Eddor. Daenerys then touched the dark grey scales of her dragons asking for permission. _A dragon is no slave._

Daenerys climbed Eddor´s left wing and mounted him, at the base of the dragon´s long, scaled neck.

"Valahd" Daenerys said

And they flew.

***

“Eddor!" _Why is he being so stuborn?_ " Eddor! We need to get back to Meereen!”

The dragon remained unperturbed, eating the burned horse he had hunted moments before. Daenerys tried several times to tell Eddor he should take her back, but she eventually gave up, feeling tired.

Daenerys just looked at Eddor, in awe of the creature, studying his face closely. "I cannot get mad at you, it seems!" There was a new expression in his face and after some minutes, Daenerys finally came to an interpretation:  Eddor was giving her leave to join him in eating the horse:

“Yes, Eddor, I would be delighted in sharing a meal with you!”

Daenerys sat next to Eddor´s tail and proceeded to eat some chunks of the grilled meat; the taste was too strong to be deemed tasty, but it was an improvement to the terrors of meereenese cuisine in her opinion.

Feeling her belly full with all the horsemeat, Daenerys decided to rest her eyes a bit. She laid down and nested near Eddor, who himself was taking a nap. Daenerys felt at peace; she forgot about Meereen, Hizdahr, the Harpies, everything that troubled her the past days.

Suddenly, she woke up back in the House with the Red Door.

Daenerys could see herself running barefoot in the grass and laughing, a memory of her childhood she had revisited many times over the years. This time, however, it was different: what she saw in this picture was a woman grown, not the motherless child she had been.

She felt strong, calloused hands grabbing her waist, tackling her body and both falling not in the grass, but in a warm bed covered with furs. They were laughing. The cold air felt pleasant in her cheeks, as the warmth of both their faces colliding in a demanding kiss was enough to lit the fire inside of her.

There was an urgency in his movements, almost a violence in his desire, but Daenerys was not scared; she wanted it as badly as he did. Almost like she had done that many times before, Dany helped his efforts, opening her mouth and  legs to him, in feverish anticipation.

“Dany!” the stranger said with a surprising tenderness in his voice. _I am dreaming, it is just a dream!_

Was it? Daenerys was neither asleep or awake, but somewhere in between reality and dream. Her hands were now inside her tights and she found the area soaked; the man began to thrust his hardened member and the voice that said her name, once crystal clear, was no more than grunts and growls.

The man continued to push his cock more and more, within and without of her. Daenerys moved her hips in accordance to him, and they soon found a constant rhythm. They were both very close, Daenerys felt. His mouth was sucking and biting her nipples; it should have hurt, but it did not. She peaked with a scream  of pleasure. His seed filled her and she felt his muscled body relax on top of her.

Daenerys was spent, breathless and sore, The man kissed her once again, almost chastely now that they were done. She was still lost in all those delicious sensations, but she could hear a voice. It was growing stronger; she wanted to sleep more and dream, but he insisted and could not be ignored:

“ Dany, you should wake up!" Now he was screaming. " Dany! WAKE UP!”

She opened her eyes.

For a fleeting moment, Dany recognized the face in her dream.

“Jon!”

***

No. Before her was not Jon, but two Dothraki bloodriders.

Sometime in the evening, Eddor had left and Daenerys, too immersed in this other world, had not realized it.

Daenerys could still sense her dragon, but knew he would not come to her, even if she was to command him.

_Whatever it is, Eddor wants me to face it by myself._

She walked, following the horses,  while the bloodriders talked. Daenerys could understand some words. In the weeks prior to her wedding, she had been trained in Dothraki. It was not to speak fluently, Daenerys noticed even back then, but it was enough to receive commands in Khal Drogo´s mother tongue.

Soon, they made to a Dothraki camp, a _Khalasar_ she realized, and both men left Daenerys with a group of women and children. _Slaves,_ she thought with disgust.

Three days she spent with this group, walking the Red Waste as the Khalasar followed the horse lords lead. They seemed to ignore her presence and for that, Daenerys was immensenly thankful.

Daenerys stayed quiet; she ate when they gave her food and obeyed the simple commands she was given, without saying anything. Sooner, more words started to make sense and she started to understand some sentences, given context.

In the fourth day, Daenerys finally understood why she had not been raped by the bloodriders and claimed as a slave by any of the Khalasar: it was because they _knew_ who she was.

When they arrived at Vaes Dothraki,  Daenerys fears came true.

She was at the mercy of Khal Drogo, her husband.

 

***

“Take the Khaleesi and prepare her for me.” Drogo said to a couple of handmaidens. There was no emotion in his voice, other than the impatience of a man used to get his way. As soon as he gave his command, Drogo turned to the bloodriders who had found Daenerys:

“Blood of my blood, where is her mount?”

“The _(...)_  left her side and I did... ”

Daenerys was dismissed and the handmaidens took her to another tent, where they silently prepared a bath for her. From the little she heard, Drogo was questioning the men about the circumstances of their meeting.

_Does he want Eddor, my dragon? It was because of dragons that he married me?_

Magister Illyrio told her about his plans for her and Aegon to marry, expecting that both Viserys and Drogo would die trying to invade Westeros, but there was little time for him to explain _why would Drogo want to marry her and lend the force of ten thousand Dothraki screamers to Viserys._

During her bath, Daenerys started to piece together the puzzle, trying to answer the question.

_I know some men find me attractive, but Drogo could have a Lysenne for free. Mayhaps he was after my dragonblood? I am the last Targaryen Princess; a penniless princess, but with a famous name and magical bloodline. How would that interest a man like Drogo?_

Daenerys was told her bath was over and the handmaidens handed her a leather dress cut in the Dothraki fashion. She thanked them in the Common Tongue as she knew the Dothraki language had no word for it; they just bowed to Daenerys and led her back to Khal Drogo´s tent.

 _His braid is even longer now!_ Dany knew him to be the fiercest of Khals, the man who killed her brother, Viserys, and brought Pentos to its knees in one night. It had caused Braavos to allow more defenses to be built and to be hired for the attacked city . All the Khalasar had been banned, their privileges, revoked.

When she sacked Astapor and conquered Meereen with the Unsullied, Daenerys had thought her position as Queen would be enough to keep Khal Drogo at bay. _I could not have been more wrong._

“Khaleesi! You not vojor the Luck I was ajajlam; nor the stallion who mounts the world. My men said you are a kaakt. I will not frakat  poison acharak Dosh Khaleen says you are clean.”

_He wanted luck from me, but they say I am some...witch? some poison? He will not...touch me until they say I am clean?_

Dosh Khaleen, Daenerys thought. _Yes, I will wait for my judgment gladly, Khal Drogo. You will never lay hands on me again. I will show you the stallion who mounts the world if that is what you want. You will meet the Dragon´s Justice._

***

_They said the day I died a blizzard like never seen before prevented my loyal men from collecting my body. Tormund and Val found me when they arrived; I have seen it all through Ghost's eyes._

Maester Aemon demanded that Jon Snow's body was to be brought to him in one of the Ice cells. He stayed there, for a while, holding Jon´s hands, Ghost's head on his lap thinking about his duty and his love for the boy. Aemon allowed himself to cry, asking the Gods the take him, an old man who had lived enough, instead of Jon.  

But duty would guide his life until his last day; Maester Aemon kissed John's forehead and went to the Rookery, to feed the ravens. Lady Melisandre, the red priestess, had been waiting for him there and greeted Aemon upon his entrance; the Maester also felt another presence. Aemon always started out by counting the birds so that he could determine how much food he would be giving and noticed that the strange one, the one that did not belong, was also there.

Lady Melisandre had silently waited for Maester Aemon to care for the ravens; she asked the man if they could speak now and he nodded : “ Maester, the Lord Commander is important to my King´s plans. I see it in my flammes at night. Let me try to revive him, in the name of the Lord of Light. It might not be  too late for that.”

Without raising his voice, Maester Aemon answered: “Begone, my Lady; Fire has Power, but so does Ice. I am certain you want to help, but the cost might be too high. You burned the Sept in Dragonstone and you would have burned the Weirwood in Winterfell I know. You disrespect our Gods, Old and New, and you are too thirsty for blood. I will not allow it.”

“You are simply an old man, scared and frail, Maester Aemon.Your Gods are demons. Only the Red God exists.” The ravens in the rookery started to make angry noises, which startled Melisandre at first, but she was quick to recover.

Maester Aemon simply waited for the birds to calm down; when they did , he spoke : “ Old? Yes I am old, but not frail nor scared, my Lady. You forget yourself. I am blind. My eyes are not deluded by your tricks,, Lady Melisandre, although I am sure you are....lovely to look upon. Now, begone!”

Melisandre felt her face burning, the words caught in her throat. _My glamour does not work on him. The blind man can truly see me!_ “ Forgive me, I misjudged you, Maester Aemon. Please, allow me to pay my respects to Lord Commander before his body is to burn. I will leave him, and you,  in peace, I promise.”

“Very well then.” Maester summoned his steward, Whett, and they silently went to the Ice Cell where he had left Jon.

Ghost was still by his master´s side; the wolf started to howl as soon as the visitors arrived, pacing back and forward, from Aemon to Jon.

From the distance, Melissandre noted that Jon´s skin was blue from the cold; some condensed water drops around his face and hair made him look oddly beautiful, like a painting, she thought.

Maester Aemon approached the table and with the steady hands of an accomplished healer he was, touched his great-great nephew´s chest.

He felt _it_.

“Whett!” Aemon turned to his steward as he spoke, his hands now shaking with the discovery. “His heart is beating and I hear some breathing...it is very faint, but it is there. Jon is in a coma, he needs to be moved and to be kept warm. Please, discreetly bring me Tormund and Edd here to help.”

“ I thought you said he was dead, Maester.” Melisandre placed her face over Jon´s; at first there was cold, but  she also felt _something_ underneath his skin. “ He is in some sort of sleep, in another world mayhaps. I can see that the blades cuts were angry and they ran deep through his body. The Lord Commander surely lost a lot of blood.”

“Aye Lady Melisandre. There was no life in him when I last saw Jon, I attest to that.” Aemon stopped and thought for a second : “ There are things that not even the Gods see fit to explain us; It is our choice to believe in their ways, or not. Always our choice.”

Melisandre gently touched Maester Aemon´s hands :“ If you - as Jon´s next of Kin - allow me, Aemon Targaryen, I might be able to awake the Lord Commander from his deep sleep.” Standing there, alone with both Jon and Maester Aemon had made Melisandre finally understand why she felt the Power coming from both men, and why she felt the same with Stannis: they all had King´s Blood.

Maester Aemon was not surprised Lady Melisandre was able to infer their connection: “Now that we both share each other's secrets, my Lady, mayhaps we could work together.Only this time.”

 ***

 _The touch. Her touch. Jon could smell her; he would recognize this scent any day. His mate. He did not know for how long he stayed there, buried deep inside of her, his body in a perpetual state of pleasure. He could not see her face, but he would never mistake that scent,_ **_hers._ **

_Dany._

When Jon opened his eyes; he was no longer in Ghost.

“Welcome back, Lord Commander!” Lady Melisandre was the first face he saw , and she had a broad smile on her face.

“Oh, my boy, we lost you for a day and a night! Whett, please fetch the Lord Commander his clothes!”

Tormund and Edd just looked at Jon, their faces showing a mixture of happiness for having their friend back and confusion on how it had happened. “ You look the same to me, as pretty as any of my daughters; my member is still twice as big as yours, thought.”

“I believe you, Tormund!” Jon was feeling a bit dizzy and cold, but happy to see familiar faces, and he needed Edd and Whett´s assistance in dressing. Somehow, it did not bother him that Lady Melisandre was still there. Actually, Jon did not even care he had been naked all that time in front of a woman; the cold was the sole reason he was putting on clothes, coming to think of, not social standards of propriety.

Jon realized he had changed, some part of him had been altered by this odd experience. His feelings were simpler, less muddled by human complications. He looked at Ghost and immediately understood: _We shared the same body for a time. I left part of me in Ghost and he, in turn, gifted me with some of his soul._

The Lady Melisandre approached him once he was wearing his black garb and grabbed his hand. “Maester Aemon confirmed your body died for at least a day, Lord Commander. When we found you, you were in a coma, alive but your spirit was somewhere. I brought you back by the Grace of the Lord of Light with the Last Kiss. You were dead and now you have returned. What did you see?”

“Nothing. There was only...emptiness... nothing for what it felt like a long time. And then, I started to feel; I felt the cold, and smelled some scents, but it was like being locked somewhere else. I only came into myself some moments before I woke up, though...I was with someone, in a dream.”

***

Jon had examined the ravens : King Stannis sent a terse message, saying he had rescued Arya Stark and Theon Greyjoy and was still marching to Winterfell.  Jon knew he would have to do more to help Stannis liberate his childhood home from the Boltons dirty hands.

Lady Alys took Karhold without any losses; since King Stannis had executed her uncle for treason, she was now acting as Lady Karstark, until the release of her brother. She would grant lands to the Thenns and their families; some villages inthe lands closer to The Gift were practically deserted as the war had claimed many of their men and the ones who survived had moved to better and more fertile places near Karhold.

Jon retrieved some documents signed by him before his execution, granting permission for the Free Folk to populate abandoned villages and holdfasts, tend the land and pay the Night's Watch rent- since it was wartime and supplies were going to be scarce, it was agreed some contingent of healthy and fit men would help the Watch in manning The Wall for the time being as payment for their assistance. Both parties agreed the Free Folk would have to bend the knee if they were to run for lands south of The New Gift, or face execution by the Northern Lords.

“Tormund, prepare everyone to leave first light tomorrow, including the hostages I asked from your people; I will personally escort part of Free Folk to some villages.”

Tormund gave Jon an incredulous look and asked :“Why are you doing all this for us, Lord Crow? I understand you do not want to fight twice over, but you yourself said the children we left here were your guarantee and now, you are freeing them.”

“Soon you will find out why.”

Moments later, Whett knocked on the door and told John his men were waiting in the yard.

The black brothers responsible for Jon´s death were to be hanged. As Lord Stark, his father, had taught him, Jon looked each one of them in the eyes and heard their last words.

Longclaw felt uncharacteristically heavy in his hands as Jon swung the sword.

“My Watch is ended.” Jon announced.

He then handed the command of the Night's Watch over to Edd Tollett, and left for his chambers,  hundreds of stunned faces behind him.

 ***

Ever since his resurrection, Jon realized nothing would be the same. He had lived once and now he was to start over. There were some memories that seemed to have vanished from his mind, while other...experiences would sometimes emerge in his dreams.

There were some changes in the way he behaved, act and thought too, Jon noticed. His appetite had changed: Jon now did not need as much salt and condiments to find something edible and  could go on long stretches of time without the need for food. His sleep pattern, the way he felt replenished after just a couple of hours, Jon considered the great improvement from his first life to the present one.

However, there were downsides: the surge in his needs for release was very hard to control. It was like puberty once again. As a brother of the Night's Watch, Jon was supposed not to father children or marry, but the vows said nothing about having sex. Jon knew some of the men there would use each other for pleasure,it was no secret,  but Jon himself had never felt the need to resort to this. The brothel in Mole's Town would be an option, but the whores had simply disappeared before the attack at Castle Black, so Jon had a problem that needed to be dealt with, better sooner than later.

So in the sennight Jon spent as Lord Commander before the execution of his assassins, he had taken to his hand more times that he could possibly count. Jon tried to avoid thinking about _her_ and that dream he had before he came back to life. Dany was a friend; she had been in love with his father. Not only that; Dany was his aunt, he reminded himself over and over again.

But something had changed. His bond with Ghost was stronger and Jon felt part wolf. _Mayhaps even part Dragon._ Targaryens were known for marrying brother to sister and the Starks had married nieces to uncles before too. _Wolves and dragons do not differentiate; they find mates and do not apologise for their desires_.

Jon surprised himself for being unashamed of his needs; sometimes, Ghost would stay and watch with what Jon would call a smug expression as he  would stroke himself before going to bed. Not knowing what to say, Jon just gave his pet an exasperated look and told him how now he, Jon,  understood why Ghost would insist in leaving to the wilderness at night, even when he was obviously not returning with any offerings from his hunting.

***

Jon and the members of the Free Folk camping at Castle Black left as planned, taking the hostages and everything they could.

They managed to keep a steady pace, in spite of the children and women, a fact that had surprised Jon at first before he remembered that some of this people were nomads, used to move from time to time and that the hardships of the North were not different from those Beyond The Wall.

Three days into their journey, a great number of families had already been settled. Jon was pleased.

“Tormund, soon, we will part. I must go to Winterfell and help King Stannis retake it. Hopefully, Mance Rayder is still inside the Castle, alive and well. I just ask for a group of your men to accompany me, if you could spare some. After the fight is over, you have my word they would return to their families if they are to survive, Gods be good, with Mance too.“

“I could spare you a couple of spearwives too, boy, if are man enough to manage them.” Tormund laughed at this jape. “ Say, you are not blushing as usual. Did you grow some balls since you left the Crows behind?”

“If you only knew…” Usually, Jon was not one to talk about _those_ things, but Tormund, he was sure, Tormund would understand. “ Could I ask you something, in confidence?”

Tormund looked curious, and nodded.

Jon continued: “Look, I do not want to abduct one of your women - it did not work the last time; my heart was broken when Ygritte died and I do not want to feel that way again- but I would like to share my furs with a woman. I also do not want a child now and...”

Tormund interrupted Jon: “ You do not need to tell me. You are young and have no interest in laying with one woman and one woman only for the rest of your life. Having a babe now is also not in your plans, and I agree with you.” Tormund then started to laugh with himself. “ Tonight, Jon Snow, your balls will grow back even more. Just leave it with me and you will see.”

When Val came to Jon that night, he knew Tormund had been true to his word.

“ There is something I want to show you, Snow.”

Val gave him her hand and they walked some meters from the camp, to an elevation where some trees and rocks formed a secluded area.

Jon could hardly wait, his cock already uncomfortable under his breeches: “Val, should I kiss you?” Jon knew he could, but felt like asking first, the insecurities of his youth would still resurface from time to time, in spite of all he had been through.

“Your lips look sweet, Lord Crow. I am no maid; kissing is good and…” Jon did not wait for her and promptly fell to his knees, stuffing his face in Val´s cunt, licking and sucking it until he heard the woman panting.

“Oh Jon!” When he felt Val's hands petting his hair and heard her screams for more, Jon stopped went for her mouth, while he cupped her breasts as gently as he could. She gasped when Jon left a love mark on her neck, his name once again in her lips, a note of surprise in her voice.

Val´s smelled like the fresh air of the mountains, pure and untainted by malice. It was not the scent he really wanted it, but it was a delicious one, and he decided to live in the moment. Jon had always been attracted to Val anyway; any men would, as Val was a truly beautiful woman..

Jon felt Val´s hands on his cheeks and soon, her mouth and her tongue too. She broke the kiss for air and smiling, said. “ No woman with moontea would  spare me any; I cannot blame them…”

“I will not give you my seed then, do not fret…”

“Some cannot control themselves until it is too late, Jon. For that, we have moontea. But not tonight. There are other ways, of course. You must know, the crows certainly know, not having women around…”

Jon´s cock twitched at the suggestion, until he realized he was not _sure_ what Val was actually offering. His left hand grabbed her arse in a rather possessive way, the gesture meant to clarify the nature of her offer.

“Oh, Jon!” Val gave him a knowing smile. “ I suppose we could try it, but not now...mayhaps I will let you take my arse when you retake in Winterfell, in the Lord's chambers. Now you will have to be happy for my mouth…”

 ***

Jon and Val, along with a couple of spearwives and six other warriors, left for Winterfell. Tormund offered more men to rescue Mance Rayder, but Jon felt a bigger party would only make things more difficult. More mouths to feed and more visibility to their group, when he was trying to go unnoticed.

Tormund reluctantly agreed and they parted ways.

“How long to Winterfell, Jon?”

“A couple of days, I suppose.”

Val was kissing his neck, her tongue playing with Jon´s earlobe. “ I will keep my promises once we are sleeping in a featherbed.”

Jon smiled. “ I have a plan. I know Winterfell and how to retake it. The Boltons will pay".

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey people, I am not one of those who are capable of endlessly writing.  
> So, things were happening quite fast in the last 5 chapters to advance PLOT.  
> This is phase 3 and Dany x Jon will be center stage now. A couple more chapters, they will finally meet again and I intend of slowing down the pace of events.
> 
> However, if you are not into my sex scenes at this point now, better not to continue: Val and Jon are not shy about their sex life nor should they be.


	15. Wolfgirl and the Ladybird.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last days of Arya in Braavos; she makes an offer Daenerys cannot refuse.
> 
> The last days of Sansa in The Vale: she finally learned her lessons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, next chapter, as I said, will see Daenerys and Jon finally reunited.
> 
> As I am not much for the military aspects of the story, we will see the characters already in the aftermath of the Battle for Winterfell and the result of Maergaery´s trial.
> 
> Winter finally arrived.
> 
> Please, remember that they already met and have established a friendship.

She was dreaming of Nymeria again.

The months she spent at the House of Black and White gave Arya few opportunities to think about what she had lost during the day, but the nights were filled with her memories of father, mother; Sansa and her brothers; of Winterfell and Maester Luwin. The most intensive dreams, however, were the ones of Nymeria; Arya could feel herself inside the wolf, their minds and spirits curiously combined into a single one, the sense of freedom almost overwhelming. It was a rather pleasant feeling, not being the ugly little girl anymore, but a strong wolf leading her pack.

It have never been her intention to become a priestess of the Many Faced God. Jacqen undertood that; he led Arya to believe it was possible to train in the House of Black and White, without actually becoming No one.  

It was only when Jacqen left on a mission that Arya realized her position was a very precarious one. Eventually, she concluded it would be wise to leave the sect as soon as she had learned enough skills to apply them to her plans.

Arya knew even back then that leaving the House of Black and White behind be would be near impossible, but now, as she saw herself running for her life, Arya started to question the wisdom of joining them in the first place.

_Of course they would have to kill me, what was I thinking? I failed two of their tests and killed a man whithout their permission._

The waif was an apprentice alongside Arya and hated her from the beginning, for apparent no other reason than a very personal dislike. It was a very strange situation, as the waif was particularly enthusiast of their training, but she chose to ignore one of the first lessons: death was a gift from the Many Faced God and they were not supposed to have personal feelings against the targets.

Since Arya was there precisely to kill her own targets, her mission was a personal one. However, Arya agreed with their wisdom: the gift of mercy should not be a show of power and one should avoid the use painful methods.

The way in which the waif had targeted and attacked Arya, on the other hand, was positively against all the teachings of the House of Black and White: it was painful, it was personal and it was utterly without mercy.

_If I survive, this could be my ticket out; they would know what the waif had done and she would be an outcast. The Many faced God would still need a death. Hers, not mine._

Fully aware of the risks, Arya was convinced she had no other choice than to seek Doreah´s help. Bleeding from her wounds and walking with difficulty, Arya managed to reach the back street entrance to Daenerys headquarters that led to the small backyard.

Arya knocked three times on the back door before passing out.

 

***

“Arya!”

Arya almost gave up trying to open her eyes, the effort was simply above her present capabilities.

But the voice, that familiar voice, on the other hand, persisted and continued to guide Arya out of her sleep.

“Arya!”

Her eyes now open, Arya quickly recognized the face:

“Dany!”

The silver haired woman was smiling : “Oh, Arya! Are you feeling better?”

“Dany...I should.. “

 Arya was still drowsy when she tried to stand up and almost fainted; Daenerys had to help her back to bed, carefully placing  Arya´s head on a pillow. The dragon queen quickly went to the door and spoke to Karsi, asking for some broth to be brought to the room.

Daenerys came back and sat at the edge of the bed, still smiling at Arya.

“Since when did you arrive? Is it true? Do you have dragons?”

Daenerys offered Arya water to drink and asked if she was hungry, but just the thought of food made Arya´s stomach turn. “ You should eat something, at least some bread crumbs and a broth.”

“Later. I would rather you tell me about your plan and...” Arya could not finish the sentence; she was in too much pain.

“Shuh! You should rest...and listen. There is a lot I must tell you and you can tell me your story later, when you are fully recovered.”  Daenerys gave Arya some medicine; it tasted bitter, but she drank it. “ It is for the pain, soon it will be better, you will see.”

“Very well. It is a long story, really.” Daenerys told Arya about Drogo, their marriage and Eddard Stark rescuing her from Pentos; she also explained why Lord Stark took her to the North, but it seemed strange to let Arya know they were together as man and woman for a time, so Dany decided against it.

“ Suffice to say is that your Lord Father helped me and that Jon is my kin, being the son of your aunt, Lyanna and my brother, Rhaegar. I do not wish to keep things from you, Arya, you may ask me anything you want to know later and I will tell you the truth, even the unpleasant bits. ” If Arya would ever ask about Eddard, Daenerys would not deny her; she hated lies, but could not possibly tell Arya now that her parent´s marriage was not perfect and the extent of her relationship with Ned.

“ For now, what I must tell you is that we tried to save you and Sansa, but you had disappeared from King's Landing and Sansa had been kept in isolation at the Red Keep. I am very sorry, Arya, I can only imagine  what you have been through. Not everything is lost, as you know; remember that Rickon and Bran escape the burning of Winterfell and made to The Wall alive; Sansa is in the Vale and Jon, in the North. Soon we will return and reunite with them, I promise you. “

“They must be so big now! How I want to go home, Dany, and see them again. You should take me to Westeros. I really could help you kill the Lannisters and take the Throne!”

 _Arya is getting too excited, she should rest. “_ Calm down, Arya. I will take you, I swear it. But I also want to protect you; promise me you will rest and recover, it will be days until you are strong enough to stand on your feet.”

Arya could not stop thinking about Bran and Rickon and the prospect of seeing them again; it also renewed her hopes for Sansa, having Daenerys confirm Sandor´s suspicions on her whereabouts . _And Jon is safe at The Wall. He will always be my brother, even if he is half dragon!_

Karsi came with a bowl of broth and some bread. Under Daenerys watchful eyes, Arya tried to eat, but it was simply too much for her.

“ I am sorry...”

“ It is fine, Arya. Now I will tell exactly why I am here in Braavos and how we are going back to Westeros.”

Arya left the bowl of broth at the nightstand and made herself comfortable as she listened to Daenerys.

“As you know, I am already Queen of Meereen. I could have stayed there, but it would never be my home. When I was found by Khal Drogo´s bloodriders at the Red waste and Eddor disappeared, I thought it was a chance for me to finally extract myself from Meereen without delay. I united the Khalasars after I defeated the Khals, including Drogo, and Eddor was declared the _Stallion who Mounts the World_. I returned to Meereen with many Dothraki screamers just to find that Ser Barristan and Tyrion Lannister, of all people, were able to defend the city from the attack of the slavers forces. The Ironborn had also sent me their ships and a marriage proposal.”

Arya got alarmed at this part of the tale: “ You should not trust them, Dany! They are nothing but reavers and rapists!”

“Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah said as much. Their Commander, Victarion Greyjoy, was under the impression he could use a dragon horn to bind one of my dragons to his will. He ended up being killed by Viserion; the horn would only work as a tool to train dragons, it seems. The dragonlords of Old Valyria used horns and spells to tame their dragons, but a Greyjoy is not a Targaryen. And a dragon is not a slave. After the battle was won, we left a commission of representants and a garrison of Unsullied in the Region. I renamed it Bay of Dragons. “

Daenerys continued :“A Red Priest called Moqorro asked me to liberate the slaves of Volantis. I have no intention of staying any longer in Essos, but slavery has to end. After some deliberation, I decided to help, but not exactly how the Red Priest had envisioned: dothraki are largely responsible for the slave trade; since they are under my leadership, the Dothraki will no longer use, sell or abduct slaves. They will rather roam from city to city, attacking and taking the wealth of slavers. Volantis saw my dragons ; their fleet was defeated at Meereen, they had to agree to my terms, but this war is far from over. Braavos is a natural ally and that is one of the reasons why I am here. My advisors think that without the Dothraki supplying slaves, the region will have to find other ways to sustain itself economically. Braavos is in a better position to enforce a ban on slavery and it could also help the Free Cities transition to a different system. “

The few spoons of broth that Arya managed to consume were enough to give her some strength an she was now more alert. “ I agree your crusade against slavery is just and I hope the Sealord will help you, but when do we leave for Westeros?”

“In less than a moonterm, at the earliest. My fleet needs repairs and supplies; you need to recover and I have several meetings with the Sealord and the Iron Bank to discuss both Essos and Westeros. The Crown is indebted to the Iron Bank, Arya. The usurper's spending knew no limits and I am to meet the Iron Bank to negotiate: I am prepared to recognize past debts if they stop funding other pretenders. They already lent money to Stannis Baratheon, who is fighting in the North to retake Winterfell. In honour of your father, as Queen I would also recognize this loan if Winterfell is once again in Starks hands.”

“We are only taking my most loyal men to Westeros: 30.000 Dothraki and 3.000 Unsullied. I could summon more if there is any need, but Tyrion and Ser Barristan advised me against it: too difficult to feed and to move a larger force, Our strategy needs Dorne, the Golden Company and The North to succeed. . The land is ravaged and winter is coming. We do not want a prolonged war, but enough battles to convince the Lords to recognize me and bend the knee. The problem seems to be Kings Landing: Cersei empowered the Faith Militant and now not only the Riverlands are in disarray, but also the seat of Power. The situation is very unstable.”

***

Arya focused on her recovery and made remarkable progress in a very short space of time, according to the healer Daenerys had brought in; sooner than anticipated she regained her strenght and Arya was still intent in killing her targets, one by one, once she returned to Westeros.

True to her word, Daenerys was often busy attending meetings, either with the Braavosi institutions or her Council. The house was constantly filled with people, a situation that made Arya uneasy due to her current predicament. 

Arya knew how to identify a faceless man in disguise and, luckily for her, the security around Daenerys was a tight one; it would be difficult to breach it, but not impossible. Eliminating the waif and setting her dispute with the House of Black and White would be the first step in her plans, otherwise Arya would have to worry about a possible attempt on her life for the rest of her days.

Daenerys announced they were to set sail in two days time, her negotiations with the Sealord and Iron Bank finished. Arya was so excited about going home that she forgot her present problems in Braavos, but only for a couple of minutes.

_No, I need to secure my position, I need to solve this situation now, before we leave for Westeros._

As the Sun set, Arya discreetly left the residence and went to the Ragman's harbor, telling Doreah she was to watch a mummer´s farce.

Arya knew the waif would be watching her movements, trying to finish her botched job. She pretended to limp, giving the impression make she was even more vulnerable. Arya crossed one of the bridges that connected the many sides of the city and bought an oyster from a street vendor, making small talk with the girl as she ate the delicacy.

Then, slowly, Arya started walking, her heart beating faster as she neared a less popular area of the harbour, feeling that the moment she had been preparing herself to was literally, around the corner.

Soon enough, Arya found herself alone and decided to feign distress at the realization to lure the waif, touching her leg as if it was still painful.

_Oh, here we go again._

The waif revealed herself and attacked Arya with a knife, looking very surprised when repelled by a single and precise movement. Survival was not on Arya's mind as she ran; it was part of her plan all along. Running without pretense of any impairment, Arya entered an abandoned building, immediately immersing herself in the darkness.

The waif was right behind her, Arya could feel.

Arya gave the waif a quick and painless death, true to the teachings of the House of Black and White.

When Arya presented The Kindly Man with the young woman´s face, he declared that Arya would never be truly No One, but allowed the former apprentice to go, as the Many Faced God had received his due.

***

“Alayne, they say you will marry cousin Harry; I will not allow it! You should marry me and be Lady of the Vale!”

Robin was a sweet child and Sansa feared for his life, now that she knew of Petyr Baelish´s true intentions; it took a while for Sansa to learn how to play the game, but now that she decided not to continue her lessons,  her  present teacher had outgrown his usefulness.

Sansa would eliminate Petyr Baelish and take control of her destiny.

Baelish had forced Sansa to play the role of Alayne Stone, a bastard of The Vale. As Alayane, Sansa was treated either with contempt or indifference, exactly how her mother had treated Jon Snow. 

_Mother taught me that bastards were sinful creatures, not to be trusted; she treated Jon poorly. I treated Jon poorly, just as I am treated now._

“Sweetrobin, you know that would be not possible as I am baseborn! But you, Lord Arryn, you will grow up and be a great Lord. And that is why we are having the Tourney, as a great Lord needs a guard he can truste to keep him safe!”

The Tourney and the Guard had been her ideas; Lord Baelish was quick to praise Sansa for it, and even quicker to claim the credit all for himself.

When Sansa went to Littlefinger´s solar two days ago to discuss some details about the impending festivities, she overheard as he instructed the Maester to minister another dose of sweetsleep to  Robin,  aware of the fact that Sansa had given the boy the same medicine an hour before.

It was bad enough that Lord Baelish was capable of ending poor Ser Dontos´s life and that he himself pushed Lysa Arryn to her death. In her fear, Sansa had accepted Baelish excuse to eliminate the fool: she could see Ser Dontos  informing the Crown about her disappearence.

And the truth was that her aunt...would have killed Sansa, if not for Baelish

Even if Sansa had reasons to accept and endure Baelish schemes and plans, killing a child was a revolting thought.

That would make Sansa not only a liar and a coward, but also a kinslayer.

Sansa was forced into the role of Robin´s keeper; at first, it was hard for her to like her cousin, spoiled and willful as he was. Then, she remembered about another child who had been raised on illusions of songs and pretty lies and understood Robin was not a monster, like Joffrey, but a misguided child, eager to be loved, and to frail to fight his own battles.

But the fact remained that Sansa was isolated in The Vale, playing a role of a bastard. Who would assist her? Who would believe her?

Myranda and Mya were close, but Sansa needed powerful allies; the Tourney, she thought, might be the perfect place to make a move while Littlefinger would be too busy, scheming and blackmailing his way to the leardership of The Vale.

“Alayne! Oh here you are! “ Mya Stone was a bastard of the late King Robert; she faced the same level of prejudice Sansa was now knowking, but the difference was that Mya had to work for a living, as her father had not saw for her education. “ There is a Knight, Ser Wyl Letyr, his squire and a Maester at the stables here for the Tourney; they said you invited them, that you would remember them. They ask you for a minute.”

Sansa first reaction was to brush this off, probably another hedge knight trying to make it to the lists, but then she realized the name Mya gave hersounded familiar.

_Wyl Letyr...Letyr...Tyrell?Willas?_

***

_Bloody Willas Tyrell! I should have left him behind, the cunt! Fancying himself a knight, going to rescue a damsel in distress with his bloody Maester in tow. Now he plays my squire, cannot even walk properly!_

Arya had convinced Clegane he had no chance of saving Sansa with that face of his. Since Braavos was known for its rich cultural life and mummer's plays, the wolf girl  managed to buy Sandor a fake beard and prosthesis from a mummer. He felt silly by doing it, but Arya showed him  how to apply it himself and he had to agree he looked like another person.

His scars were not totally covered, but Sandor felt the disguise was working in his favor. Nobody seemed to care about another battered war veteran or a knight with visible scars; after all, the sight was now common enough in Westeros since the war broke.

It was a welcomed surprise, one that avoided Clegane having to kill men stupid enough to try and claim the reward  the Lannisters put on his head.

A less than welcomed surprise came when Sansa´s betrothed, Willas Tyrell, crossed Clegan´s path.

Sandor was about to leave the Inn with Stranger, when a Maester approached him. The exchange was a simple one: the maester asked for directions to the Eyrie and Sandor replied with a “ Bugger off” ; the man soon disappeared inside the Inn, but not before leaving a piece of parchment in Clegane´s hands.

 

 

 

> A mutual friend confirmed a certain Lady is being held captive and you were last seen with said Lady sisters in Braavos. We could work together and you would be rewarded.

 

Sandor returned to the Inn and saw the Maester sitting at a table with a brown haired man. Looking at his surroundings, Sandor saw that the man was actually not alone with the Maester; in act, he was surrounded by men at arms in nearby tables; there were no banners, at least not ones Clegane would recognize. _´Suppose not the only one trying to hide here. This will take long as the cunt looks like a talker._

“Please, take a seat.” The brown haired man said.  “We have come here to take part in the Tourney for the Guard of Winged Knights. Lord Baelish is being very careful with the Knights allowed to make the lists, I heard. You have real chances at...winning the Tourney, don´t you agree? “

“Aye, but I only need one squire.”

Willas looked around and fell silent for a minute, weighing his options. “ I will be a loyal squire, Ser; Maester Flowers is researching the wildlings of The Vale and can join us. They say the road is not safe, the clans have been attacking travelers. There must be many down the road now, to attend the Tourney. Some of the men at this Inn are sure to trail ahead and behind us. “

***

“Lady Sansa, I…”

“Why are you here, Lord Willas? Why now? “

For months, Sansa cried herself to sleep while she waited, and waited, to be rescued by her betrothed; she witnessed first hand as his incredibly ambitious family jumped from one King to another, lending their support to not only a bastard, but an unworthy one. It was enough to make her dream of Highgarden turn into a nightmare, and her sweet correspondence with its heir now was only but a bitter memory.

“Lord Varys and grandmother planned to whisk you from Kings Landing, it is true; I knew of the plan and was confident it would work only to be informed that you had disappeared. Someone must have informed Lord Baelish and he made his move. When Varys was finally ableto find you, I decided it would be unwise to trust them with your safety again. So here I am.”

_Willas does not know what his grandmother has done for what he is telling me; and he is here, after all. But so is Sandor._

“Do you have any idea of what I have been through? I would have been raped by a mob if Sandor Clegane had not saved me. I saw my father being beheaded, Lord Willas; I had to call him a traitor, over and over again, so I could survive. But you know what was the worst thing?” Sansa could not hold it any longer; she would tell him the truth. “ The worst thing was being used as a pawn by the family who should have been mine.  Unbeknownst to me, I carried the poison that killed the false King on his wedding day , so that Lady Olenna could save Margaery from Joffreys´s claws. Can you imagine what the Lannisters would have done to me if I had been caught? .”

Willas looked mortified, Sansa thought; he might not have known, but he also did nothing to save her, by his own admission. “Lady Sansa, I had no idea she would be capable of risking your life. Please, you should believe me. As I believe you in this. My family…”

Sansa interrupted Willas, the words coming out of her mouth before she knew it. “Do you think I want to be a Tyrell after I saw your family for what they truly are?”

They both stopped talking; Sansa not knowing what to say and Willas afraid of what he would hear.

Finally, Willas broke the curtain of tension between them and moved closer to Sansa. He tried to hold her hand, Sansa briefly recoiling at his first attempt, but she eventually allowed him to touch her for the first time.

“I understand, Lady Sansa; I really do. I will release you, if that is your heart´s desire. You have my word. But please, allow me to help you. All I ask is that you give me more time before you make a final decision.”

***

Lord Baelish got caught in his carefully weaved web of lies and deceptions, outsmarted by a young woman who had spent all her life being either lied to or ignored by the men around her.

“I, Princess Sansa Stark of the North and Rivers, sentence you, Lord Baelish, to death;  death being the punishment for treason. Sandor of House Clegane witnessed your betrayal of Lord Eddard Stark, which caused him to be accused of treason when he was lawfully doing his duty; Lord Willas of House Tyrell has confirmed you orchestrated the murder of the false King Joffrey Hill as a distraction to abduct me against my will. Lastly, I regret to admit I kept my silence for too long about your participation in the murder of the Lord of The Vale, Jon Arryn, and the subsequent killing of my aunt and your Lady wife, Lysa Arryn, which makes you not only a traitor, but a kinslayer, forsaken in the eyes of Gods and Men.”

Petyr Baelish had tried to argue at first, but he soon realized that even his allies were eager for his blood.

When it was clear the end was near, however, Baelish carried himself with what could only be called as respectful resignation since dignity was simply beyond his capabilities.

Altough the Court had already descended to the Gates of the Moon, Sansa had insisted the trial and execution to take place at The Eyrie. Death would not be made a gruesome spectacle as the Lannisters done with Lord Stark; therefore only some of the Lords Declarant were to attend the sad event. Robin Arryn was deemed too young and frail to hear about both his parents last days and stayed behind, being cared by Myranda Royce.

“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword; I am no man, but I will make it quick, Lord Baelish. Thank you for your lessons. You may speak your last words now.”

“It is not what I wanted from you, Lady Sansa, but it will be nothing less than a honour, as your face will be the last thing I will see before I am to die. Cat would have been proud of your words and of your intelligence, my Lady.”

Sansa made a signal and the guards brought Baelish to the edge of the moondoor. “Fight your wars, not in the south or in the north, but in your head; always.”

As she watched Baelish falling to his death and realized she had finally mastered the Game of Thrones, Sansa felt nothing but the emptiness of her victory.

***

Sandor had requested his room be near the stables, but Sansa was adamant he was to be offered far better accommodations and she extended him all the courtesies tat should be extended to a Knight.

As Sandor did not want to create any problems, he decided to enjoy the spacious chambers he was given.

Between travelling with Willas Tyrell and seeing Sansa Stark pushing Littlefinger out of a window, this mission ended up being far from what Sandor had first envisioned.

Sandor was frankly tired; even he agreed the execution was emotionally draining. nobody spoke on the track back to the Gates of the Moon and supper was also a somber affair. He looked forward for a good night of sleep and was ready to lay down when Sandor realized he was not alone in the room.

“The last time we saw each other, you came to my chambers and offered to run away with me; I chose to wait for Lord Willas instead. Now I see it as a mistake. I should have left with you.”

Sansa had been crying, he could see it. Sandor walked towards her and, as soon as he was close enough, she kissed him on the lips.

She broke the kiss and looked him in the eyes :“Once you told me that killing was the sweetest thing and that the world was led by killers. Often wondered about your words. Today, I had my first taste and found it bitter. I guess I need to get used to it, as I intend to march North with part of The Vale army and tale Winterfell.”

No, Sandor could not allow this. The little bird, a killer? Sansa was not made for it. Losing some of her stupid dreams and using her head to protect herself were good changes in his opinion. However, he would not sit and watch Sansa turning into a younger version of Cersei Lannister.

“Listen to me, little bird; killing is not for you. Lord Willas is your betrothed and he could help you take Winterfell, more than I could. War is not only about an army and strategy, but it is about survival. Winter is coming, as you say and you will need all the grain The Reach could spare. The Riverlands are destroyed and The Vale cannot possibly feed three of the Kingdoms, but The Reach could. I will keep you safe; I will be your sworn shield, anything you ask me I will do, but I cannot let you go in this path. Do you understand me?”

Sansa left the room and at the end of the Tourney, she wedded Lord Willas Tyrell.

***

“ Why can I not come with you to lead my Army, cousin Sansa? You should be the one to stay behind and let the me fight!”

Willas had suggested and Sansa agreed to have Maester Flowers examen Robin Arryn and give a second opinion on his treatment.

Maester Flowers said the boy was indeed of a frail disposition, but less sickly than one would assume. His Maester agreed the change to the Gates of the Moon improved his health and observed he was reacting well to the reduced doses of sweetsleep, not showing any withdrawl signs.

In addition, Maester Flowers recommended lightphysical activity, especially horsebacking riding, which would help with boy´s posture and strengthen his underdeveloped muscles. Robin could be instructed in self defense, but he would never be a warrior or win tourneys as a Knight, like his mother wanted to believe; Because there was nothing wrong with his intellectual abilities, Maester Flowers reasoned that Robin could be taught military history and strategy instead of focusing on  swordfighting prowess, the role of a warden being different than the one of a knight.

Sansa stroked Robin´s hair as she was saying her goodbyes, trying to comfort the boy with nice words; she noticed how his hair colour was changing, now it was a a dark shade of auburn hair . “ Cousin, you need to stay here.  You are Lord of the Vale and it is a big responsability. You should learn the way of your lands and your people, so that you can grow up and be as wise and competent as your father was. Soon you will wed and be a father; perhaps our children can marry each other and we would be even closer as we are now.” Maester Flowers had also recommended Robin to be married as soon as he reached adulthood; he would be capable of sexual intercourse, but the maester pointed out that a bride a couple of years his senior and of perfect health should be chosen as his consort, an effort to balance his weak physical condition. Deena Waynwood, a grandaughter of Lady Anya who was 3 years older than Robin, had been selected for the role and would be staying as Lord Nestor Royce ward and be raised with Robin.

“Yes, that would please me, Sansa. Deena will not mind. I wish to be informed when you and Lord Willas have babies and I want to choose one for us to foster. “

Willas looked at the boy playing Lord with amusement, but suppressed a laughter and played along. “We will work very hard to give you many options to choose from, my Lord!”

As The Vale officially entered the war, Clegane was not a Lannister man anymore, but one of Lady Sansa´s generals. Lord Willas had a good mind for tactics, but his leg limited the scope of his actions and he trusted Clegane to be his eyes and ears.

Sansa and her husband were to travel North in a wheelhouse, as Willas had decided to be by her sideas she went to claim back Winterfell and hold it until Bran and Rickon´s return. The most recent reports stated that Stannis Baratheon's forces were marching at that moment to liberate the Stark´s ancestral home with the help of the Mountain Clans, Glovers and Umbers. Sansa hoped the news of her movements would be enough to make the other Northern Houses still supporting the Boltons jump ship.

The situation in the south also worried Sansa, for reasons she could barely understand;  part of her wanted to see Cersei Lannister pay for her crimes, knowing too well how difficult would be to defeat the lioness.

“Willas, what I said you about your family...please, understand, I do like Margaery and Garlan; they were kind to me. Joffrey was mad, but Cersei is madder. Willas...she will not simply accept defeat. Cersei was forced humiliated by the High Spawwor and I know she must be planning something. Cersei hates Margaery and she will not go to Casterly Rock and accept the Tyrells quietly. I am afraid for your sister.”

“You are my family now, Sansa. I put the needs of my father and sister above yours for too long. Margaery is in custody of Randyl Tarly; grandmother is there and so is father. They were the ones who dragged her into three marriages and they should be the ones to protect her. “

 

***

Daenerys armada was massive and had to be divided into two big groups: a smaller force would arrive at White Harbour and march from the Dreadfort to Winterfell. Ser Jorah Mormont and Grey Worm would lead her troops. After defeating the Boltons, Daenerys would then start negotiations with Stannis Baratheon and enlist Jon Snow to her cause.

The better part of her force, led by Ser Barristan Selmy and Jhogo, would go south and meet the golden Company at the Stormlands. Aegon Blackfyre was to wed Princess Arianne and the plan was to have Spears of Dorne preventing the Reach Army and, most importantly, their grains to arrive at King's Landing.

Since Euron Greyjoy had been furiously attacking the western coast, the original plan of taking Casterly Rock with the help of Tyrion Lannister was abandoned; the forces in the South and in the North hoped to encircle the remaining Lannister troops in the Riverlands and defeat them, in open battle if needed to be.  

Arya sat during the war Council as the representant of House Stark, not hiding her contempt for Jorah Mormont, a former slaver who had disgraced his family and evaded her father and execution for his crimes. She did, however, exercised some restraint when informed that Ser Jorah had somhow be pardoned by Lord Stark, this until she learned the terms dictated he was to join the Watch, which he obviously did not

Feeling the time was ripe for revenge and justice, Arya asked Daenerys to visit her cabin and have a private talk with the Queen:

“ When I told you I could help you win the war, that is what I meant.” Arya then lifted the lid of a small chest and Daenerys could see a couple of human faces, masks made of skin and flesh.

“Arya!” Daenerys had heard about the Faceless Men, the best and most expensive assassins in the world; Arya had always been fierce and a fighter, but Daenerys could not have imagined the girl she once knew as a killer. “The healer told us your wounds were made by a professional, but I never ithought... Arya, that means you are a..”

“It means I was trained as one and was attacked  by another, a sloppy job but we were both apprentices on our last test. I finished her and they allowed me to leave the order, but  the Many Faced God was given some names and he will have what is his due. With or without your help, I will go to King's Landing and I will kill Cersei and her allies, cleaning the way for you. “

Daenerys hesitated. She knew Arya to be one of the most stubborn people she had ever met and that the young woman would do as she saw fit, unless she could be persuaded : “Your father would not have wanted this…”

“My father is dead, Daenerys. I want this not only for vengeance, but also for Justice. You have an opportunity to save many lives, by ending the war, by killing only the ones directly responsible for it. Would you let the men die as fools on their horses, fighting with honour while the smallfolk starve to death if you could prevent it with a couple of deaths? You have your dragons and I have my skills. It is my choice.”

Arya was Jon´s favorite sibling, he once told Daenerys. He would never forgive her if Arya was to be harmed.

“ Listen to me, Arya. You might go to King's Landing on this mission, but not alone. As soon as you are finished with your mission, you are to return to Winterfell and stay there. It is your choice, as you said, but it is also a risk.  Do you understand?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	16. Flying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Daenerys meet and plan on rescuing Brandon and Rickon...on dragonback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 months I was gone.
> 
> First, vacations; then I was ill and then...season 7! By the time I actually came back writting, I was attacked by SEVERAL great ideas- for other fics. 
> 
> So, I wrote and wrote, but not here. I apologise for the dealy and I expect to post twice a month.
> 
> The next chapters will be all focused on one of two characters. I already moved many pieces, so now, for the next 3 or 4 chapters, I will be more focused on one POV and the time lapse will be shorter.

Jon,Tormund and Sandor could finally see Eastwatch in the horizon ; it was around noon and the weather had finally settled. The night before had been particurlaly cold and miserable. Jon and Tormund were used to bad weather but Clegane complained bitterly about what he called “ this gods forskaen place” for what seems to be hours, before falling asleep.

If Jon was annoyed by Sandor´s behaviour, he did not show it. He had come to accept Clegane as he was: grumpy and mean on the outside, loyal and brave on the inside.

Aware that the westerlander would suffer, Sansa had provided her sworn shield with enough furs to keep him warm. The intention had been good but the end result was that Sandor, with his height and physical constitution, could be confused by bear in the distance and Tormund liked nothing more than talking about bears:“Did I tell you, Clegane, that yoz remind me of another bear, on another time?…Shella was her name and...”

“We all know you did not fuck that bear, Tormund! Jon would say in exasperation; the last thing he needed was Sandor Clegane losing his patience with Tormund.

Sansa had insisted that Sandor was to ride with Jon. It was imperative, she said. They were on a mission to find and bring home Brandon and Rickon Stark. Lord Manderly believed Rickon went to Skagos, since it was the rumour on Eastwach and White Harbour, and Jon knew  that Bran was Beyond the Wall, most probably in the Haunted Forest near Craster's Keep.

Sansa arrived at Winterfell with not only an Army, but also  with a powerful husband and a fierce bodyguard and Field Commander. At first, Jon did not lose time thinking too much of Clegane; he knew the man's reputation was far from good and that the northerners looked the former Lannister bannerman with suspicion. However, Jon had learned the hard way not to blindly trust the general opinion.

If Sansa trusted this man, Jon was more than prepared to give him a chance; in fact, it did not take much long for Jon to witness firsthand the worth of Clegane.

Jon rode to Winterfell with his small band of Free Folk warriors and Spear Wives, planning on infiltrating the Castle, liberate Mance Rayder and help King Stannis defeat the Boltons. He arrived and found that the Manderly´s and some Umber´s men had already turned on Bolton in a batle that had happened in a nearby frozen lake. The Bastard of Dreadfort somehow managed to escape and King Stannis, although injured, was marching still. The idea of a siege was ludicrous; Jon was explaining his plan to use the Crypts to a very tired Stannis when Sansa arrived with half of the Vale´s Forces and, most importantly, with supplies.

Winterfell was liberated from the inside, as Jon had planned: even some of the Bolton's men were sick of eating Acorn paste and the lure of freshly arrived produce from the Vale by a trueborn daughter of Winterfell made Lord Ramsay Snow, whose idea of reward was not to skin alive a person, even less appealing: in the end,  the disgusting man was delivered handcuffed and gagged. Lady Asha Greyjoy recognized Ramsay Bolton as her brother, or what remained from Theon Greyjoy, was in no condition of doing so, weeping, shaking  and not making any sense. Jon barely recognized Theon, so frail and old looking, but had very little time to think of the former ward of Winterfell, as he was asked by Sansa to execute Ramsay Snow with Longclaw and put an end to House Bolton.

The damage in Winterfell was extensive, but far from being irreparable. Lord Willas, Sansa´s husband, was a very capable castellan and immediately started to work on rebuilding the holdfast, while his wife met with the Lords, wrote letters and conferred with advisors. Sansa chose to recognize King Stannis out of duty; the Red God was foreign to her and she knew very little of the man, but the other alternatives were even worse. The Northern Kingdom, without food, was not going to be sustainable for much longer.

Stannis accepted Lady Sansa´s fealty and continued working, but his recovery promised to be a slow one.

Soon, Lady Sansa saw herself receiving Queen Selyse, Lady Melisandre and the sad Princess Shireen. Of them, Shireen was quick to make herself loved by the household, being the only friendly and polite member of the Royal Family, desfigurement and all. But not a senningth passed since their arrival when King Stannis sudenly died. The man some believed was made of steel, the Warrior King that survived the siege of Storm's End, a vile wildfire attack, the Wildling Army and House Bolton´s last attack, was gone.

Although Jon´s true allegiance was to Daenerys, he was asked to advise King Stannis, whom he respected, and was in attendance during a meeting discussing the need to hire a merceneray company with the gold from the Iron Bank, when the last Baratheon King passed away : “One moment, His Grace was alive, looking healthy even and the next... King Stannis collapsed in his chair, already dead...it was as if life had simply decided to leave his body.”

Sansa did what she could, offering a place in the crypts for Stannis, which she thought Eddard Stark would have done in her place, but Queen Selyse pomptly refused, stating they would follow the rites of their religion. Sansa left at that, only  made it clear that both the godswood and the Sept at Winterfell were beyond their reach. Sansa, however, saw no problems in allowing the Red Priestess to give her King a funeral, as long as they respected the Old and the new Gods in Winterfell.

Nobody, not even Jon, could have imagined that they would try to burn Princess Shireen, in a misguided effort to resurrect her father.

Sandor Clegane fought many of the Queen's men guarding the Pyre, but he froze at the sight of the flames; Jon managed to retrieve Shireen, part of her dress already burning, and brought her to safety.

Queen Selyse was found the next day,her lifeless body hanging from a tree.

Melisandre of Ashai disappeared in a fog of mystery.

Strangely, nobody could say if seeking the Red Priestess out and brining her to Justice was the appropriate course of action, as her own presence was a disturbing reminder of the dark path a very just man took in order to save the Realm, a very unsettling thought to be had.

Sansa was already pregnant from Lord Willas when she started to act as guardian to Princess Shireen, now an orphan and the sole trueborn survivor of House Baratheon. Coupled with the governance of Winterfell, it was obvious that Sansa had too many responsibilities and wanted to concentrate more on the upcoming birth and in her future.

She decided it was time to bring her brothers back and only to stay long enough and work on the transition of power: “It is not safe for me to travel now, but eventually I must go south, to Highgarden. We need to bring them home, Jon. Better now than later.”

“You need to know that Brandon...he is not the boy you once knew, he might even be unwilling to take on the mantle of Lord of Winterfell…” It had been about  a year since Jon last saw them; if they had changed as much as Jon did during this time, Sansa would be in for a great disappointment.   “ I know it is asking too much of you and Lord Willas, but mayhaps it is for the best if you stayed even longer. House Tyrell is not in need at the moment, I suppose.”

“Queen Cersei is not a friend of House Tyrell, Jon. Ser Garlan was given Brightwater, but he has to take it; Queen Margaery is wife of a child and Ser Loras is in the Kingsguard. Believe me when I tell you, soon they will need Willas. I do expect, for what Clegane told me, that Arya will come next. Not all is lost, Jon, but it is time to discuss succession and  my brothers must be brought home for that. I can only trust you and Clegane to bring them to Winterfell. ”

And so, they went.

Ghost would hunt in the nights, but return to sleep curled alongside Jon. As they got closer to The Wall, Jon´s dreams felt longer and even more real. He saw himself flying above,  in the skies, free from all concerns...with  Daenerys, her body so close to him, so warm...

Then Jon would wake up to the sight of Tormund and Sandor Clegane.

Giantsbane was adamant about not crossing beyond The Wall at first, but somehow, changed his mind and was very now very excited:

“The fresh air of the North will do me good! “

Clegane just rasped: “ You are north, Tormund. This is The North. Bloody, cold, unforgiving north.”

Jon just shook his head. _I suppose I should be used by now, of those two._..

Tormund halted, mouth opened in disbelief. “Now...am I imagining things?Giant eagles in the skies!?”

“Dragons.” Jon said, a rare smile forming on his lips.

 

***

For a couple of days, the race for the Iron Throne, the coming winter, the Army of Undead, House Stark and its sucession, were all relegated to the background of both Daenerys and Jon´s minds.

The handsome boy she had met some years ago was just an image of the past. Jon, son of her brother Rhaegar, was a man through and through, a warrior with visible scars, a wolf and a dragon rolled into one.

She allowed Jon and his companions some time to get used to the dragons, as much as one could on the first time :“Rhaegal likes you, Jon...and I dare say he finds Ghost interesting. He usually do not like four legged animals.”

“Ghost is much more than that.” Jon lovingly petted the furry friend, his red eyes locked into his master´s. “ He is part of me as I am part of him.”

“I missed you…” she said sweetly, then added : “The both of you.” and joined Jon into giving Ghost enough of her attention and love. " he is so big...ah, children, they grow so fast!"

Daenerys was pleased by the changes, both in Jon´s appearance and demeanor. He had always been the quiet type, she knew, but there was some ferocity in his eyes, an iron tone in his voice, an intriguing aura around him. People heard Jon, people believed in him and people followed him.

Jon had became a leader in his own right.

Daenerys was impatient to hear all that had happened to Jon, to fill the gaps of their time apart.

They sat by the fire that night and talked for hours.

One by one, their companions retreated to their quarters at Eastwatch.

Daenerys and Jon were the last ones to retire.

***

Jon could feel the cold air, the same air that would freeze him to death without mercy, being filled with sweetness as he helped Daenerys undress, as his fingers ran awkwardly around the rich fabric and laces with stubborn determination. Had he done this many times before? Jon could not tell...for him, it was only now that mattered. Daenerys gently guided his hands, disrobing her smallclothes and soon, between kisses, passionate embraces and loving words, Jon was rewarded by the vision of the woman he lhad dreamt of. But now she was real;  naked in bed, waiting for him to join her.

“My dreams...did not do you justice. You are even more beautiful, if that is possible.”

Daenerys just gasped and closed her eyes. _Oh, this means the dream...it was all true…he was there indeed!_

Jon´s hands were strong, calloused, but he was nothing if not gentle in the way he was touching her, almost like asking for permission at first, but then, when she moaned, his mouth slowly descendingfrom her neck to her breasts, Jon finally understood Daenerys wanted it and needed it as much as he did.

Her breasts were of the right size, Jon marvelled as he kneaded her teats; round and white, the rosy nipples hard from all the licking and sucking. She whimpered when his teeth cut into her flesh in small, loving bites, of the type that wouldl definitely leave marks the next day. Daenerys could only smile and began to use her hands,  to show Jon how much pleasure he was giving to her, messing with his hair and scratching his back in response to his agression.

“ I want you... the whole you...the world might burn, but I want you.”

Daenerys answered with a deep, hungry kiss, their wet tongues dancing until she had to break it to take some air in, her breathing heavy and loud. “ I want you too, Jon...I am yours to take.”

Jon laid her down in the bed and took a moment to admire her in full: her small, but perfectly proportional body with breasts large enough to fit in his cupped hands; the white skin, so soft to touch, so sweet to taste; the thin waist, her navel and the sinuous path to her mound of curly, blond hair, hiding the private area Jon so eagerly wanted to claim, to have as his and his alone.

Daenerys opened her legs, a sign of her willingness to be bedded. Jon took the plunge and buried his face in her tights, licking her meaty red folds and drinking from her juices. “ This...is...so good, Jon…oh”. Jon felt her muscles tightened around his mouth; he continued to kiss her, ever lovingly and ever eagerly, paying special attention the nub, circling the spot with his wet tongue, the scent of her overwhelming his senses for a second before he realized her climax was building up. The thought of making Daenerys come with his mouth was intoxicating.

“Jon...oh...please...I need you!”

Ever the dutiful, Jon smiled and moved to better position himself :”As my Queen commands.” with this , he thrusted inside of Daenerys at once, and she gasped, obviously surprised at this sudden change, from the almost reverential and certainly loving touch of his foreplay to the demanding power of his pelvic motions.

But Daenerys had only survived that long because she was more than able to adaptherself to any situation; she soon recollected herself and partook in Jon´s wild ways, rocking her hips as hard and as fast as she was getting.

Not stopping with this thrusts, Jon moved Daenerys´legs and torso up and stood the upper half of his body, which made all the friction and the goings of comings of his cock much more pleasurable.

 _This is not the shy boy I met at The Wall…_ it was the last coherent thought Daenerys had before she felt a rush of warmth invading her and Jon collapsed on top of her. He was broader than she remembered too, but thankfully he gave her an intimate, sensual kiss and rolled to her side.

They stayed like that, for a while, only hearing the sounds of their breathing, until Daenerys broke the silence : “It must be true what they told me about you when I arrived here...that you died and, somehow, came back to life...the way you took me...nobody was that…”

“...enthusiastic? “  Daenerys laughed and nodded. “ I am not sure myself what happened, Dany. All I know is that I felt alive, for a time, inside of Ghost. What brought me back? Melisandre, the Red priestess, she said it was her Red God. Maester Aemon thinks it was the cold that kept my body and my mind while my soul wandered around, jumping from Ghost to me again. There was a moment, when I was coming back, that I met you, in my dreams. I fell in love with you there. The rest? It does not really matter...really. “

“Are you not concerned about what the others will think, of us? I am your aunt and …” Daenerys hesitated for a beat. “... and I loved your adopted father once. I never made a secret of it and everything changed now, but..”

“Mayhaps before, I would have thought twice, yes. Now? I am glad you were happy once, and that he was happy with you. Lady Catelyn was not a warm person and if Father found a measure of love before he left the world, then ...how could I have a problem with that? As for what others will think, you should remember that I was raised as a bastard... I am used to the disapproving eyes, and frankly, now they do not harm me anymore.”

The first rays of the day were entering the room through the small window; Daenerys rested her head on Jon´s chest, which was covered in scars. She was content, she was hopeful and she was in love. “ What do we do now, Jon? “

“Winter is come; we end this silly war in the south, once and for all and then, we turn North and defeat the White Walkers. Both wars we will fight, and win,  with Fire and Blood.”

 

***

Although they barely slept, Jon and Daenerys felt re-energized. They broke their fasts with the  Commander of Eastwatch and started to prepare the rescue of the Stark brothers.

Daenerys offered to delay her advance towards south and fly to Skagos to retrieve Rickon from the island; she was actually very eager to see an unicorn for the first time: “ Oh, I wanted an unicorn for so long! Even before I started dreaming with dragons!”

Jon smiled. How is that possible that this woman, this Queen, is such a girl sometimes? “ Aye, you will see them. If dragons and direwolves exists, why not unicorns, I suppose? I have also dreamt of dragons in my childhood, but I never told anyone because I was so afraid...and I dreamt of them the night before we met here.”

 _He rode a dragon last night....why not riding another one today? “_ I suppose we should go outside, Jon. There is someone I want you to meet properly.”

It was not like the idea had not crossed Jon´s mind, but the feat was a big one. For what Maester Aemon had told them, to be bonded with a dragon took years- it was no coincidence that the Targaryens placed a dragon egg on a newborn cradle. What Daenerys was proposing was not only dangerous, but unheard of. Jon did not know if he was simply trying to impress the woman, or if he really wanted it, but out he went, to spent time with dragons, fire made flesh.

The three dragons were nesting themselves, sleeping at the base of Eastwatch Castle. Daenerys explained that, in Meereen, a couple of them had actually made nests on the top of pyramids. They were not very fond of cold, which was troublesome if they were to fight the White Walkers.  

The three beasts woke up once their mother arrived. There was a large one and two smallest. Daenerys made a sign for Jon to come closer still and started to talk about her three “children”: “The dark grey one is Eddor, named after Eddard Stark of course. I have an inkling that the one named after your father, Rhaegal, will like you best. He is the green one. The white one, some think the most beautiful, is Viserion. I will give Aegon Blackfyre my leave to try and tame him when time comes and he proves his valor and loyalty. A dragon without a rider is ...unpredictable. “

Jon was not scared, he told himself. As if dragons were dogs, Jon offered his hand for Viserion to sniff; the winged beast did not look impressed, or particularly fond of Jon, but Daenerys said it was a good reaction. _At least he did not burn you!_ Eddor seemed more interested in Jon and accepted his overtures with more enthusiasm, but Daenerys urged him to focus on Rhaegal. “ Eddor is already bonded and a dragon has only one rider. Come, Jon...give Rhaegal a try. He is looking at you right now. “

Rhaegal was twice the size of horse, being the second largest one. Daenerys had told Jon that he was also more prone to violence than Viserion, a fact that did not worry him much ; it actually made the beast before even more interesting. The bronze eyes really showed intelligence and a hint of curiosity. Jon felt...almost compelled to pet its green scales: “ He is so warm!” Jon said in awe, while the dragon purred like a cat, pleased by his touch.

“I believe it would be faster and less dangerous to go search for Brandon on dragonback. In a matter of hours you would be back and safe. Mayhaps you should stay at Eastwatch a couple of days longer to bond with Rhaegal. I would fly to Skagos and search for Rickon and bring him back on Eddor.”

Jon saw the merit of her plan, but asked himself if two days would suffice: “ Before going south to deal with the Lord of the Crossing, mayhaps you should visit Maester Aemon at Castle Black. He is old, and frail, but he is still one of us and would like to meet your children.”

“This was my intention all along... going North before going south, Jon. However, something terribly exciting happened at Eastwatch that made me delay my departure.” Jon made a move to kiss Daenerys, but Viserion hissed in disapproval; he looked back and , truth be told, neither Eddor nor Rhaegal looked thrilled at his attempted seduction of their mother.

 _Who would have thought dragons to be such jealous creatures! “_ Tell me about Arya again. I expected her to arrive with you. I suppose Sansa also expected her to arrive with Sandor too, but...why is she going to King's Landing?”

Daenerys gave Jon her arm and they started to walk towards the Castle. “ Arya is very different from the sister you knew and loved. She ...educated herself on the streets, being so long on her own, and acquired many...skills. She has no intention in being the Lady of a Keep or in being used as a pawn, to be married off as a broodmare. And yet, she wants to serve House Stark and House Targaryen in the way she is most comfortable with. Arya made a good case, had a good plan and I gave her my leave to infiltrate King's Landing. She is not alone, as Ser Barristan Selmy and some of my most experienced men are with her. Arya will go North as soon as...she gathers all the information we need and complete her mission.”

Jon was left with more questions than answers and pressed Daenerys to be clearer : “ What type of mission we are speaking about, Dany? Arya might be skilled, but she is a child…”

“More, I cannot tell you, Jon. You would have to speak with her in private, as it is her story to tell.” Jon´s face became harder and he stopped speaking, closing himself for the rest of the day.

Daenerys tried to give him space, but , before leaving for Skagos, she forced the subject once more : “ Arya is no longer a child, Jon. You must accept her decisions. She is as old as I was when my brother sold me, marrying  me to a horse lord. I tried to dissuade her, as I tried to save her from King's Landing when I went to rescue Eddard from the black cells, but I realized that she is right in trying to help us. I made her promise that, if something goes wrong, or as soon as she completes the mission, that she would not linger, but move North. I trust Arya...and so should you, Jon.”

 

***

Daenerys left with Eddor and Viserion while Jon and his companions stayed at Eastwatch.

Sandor Clegane would not come close to Rhaegal, but Tormund was fascinated by the animal: “ The Dragon Queen made you her mate and gave you a dragon. If all women in the south is as generous as she is, I might change my mind and find myself one. Fine ass she has, if you ask me.”

“Nobody did ask you, Tormund. You should respect Queen Daenerys, even if you are no kneeler. “ Jon took a deep breath and thought loudly. “ How on Westeros am I going to tame a dragon in so little time?”

“With Shella, you know...sometimes I would bring her a nice cut of meat, to make her more...willing. “ Tormund started to laugh at his own jape and Sandor just shook his head:

“You never fucked a bear...I am tired of listening to this story of you fucking a bear!” Clegane spat, and moved away from the group.

Jon thought about his bond with Ghost, how the wolf would make sure to gift his master from time to time and how Jon, in turn, would share his own food with Ghost on occasion, especially when he was still a pup. “ Tormund, you actually gave a good idea. I should try this approach.”

Eastwatch was a well manned and supplied Castle, possibly due to their frequent tradings with foreigners and wildlings. It was not hard to find someone who would part with a sheep in exchange for gold, especially since so many were actually eager to move south, to better and safer lands.

Jon found Rhaegal on the exact same spot he was when his brothers were still at Eastwatch. The green scaled dragon raised his head when he sensed Jon was approaching and looked with curiosity: “ Here boy...I brought you a gift!” Jon carefully placed the sheep, still alive, in front of the Dragon, and took some steps back.

It took less than a couple of second for the poor thing be engulfed in flames and devoured by Rhaegal.

 

***

Daenerys had transported Rickon and Osha to Skagos two years ago, but she had not set feet on the island , leaving almost as soon as the boat that rowed them to the shores made it back. She doubted that the boy and his wildling nanny had stayed in the same place this whole time, but still, it was her best hope of finding the young Stark whereabouts.

The sailors at Eastwatch that crewed the Blackbird, the ship Lord Stark had charted for her back then, had explained Daenerys that they would approach the waters of House Magnar, so she was prepared to fly over to their seat, Kingshouse, and ask for Lord Rickon Stark if she needed to. Jon had warned her against going alone, as the Skagosi had a terrible reputation, but she shut him down as she would not have enough space on Eddor to transport Rickon, Osha and Shaggydog, in addition to a bodyguard.

“If you are not back by the end of tomorrow, I will sail there to find you. Now that you came back, now that we are together, I will not lose you, Daenerys.” It was just what she wanted to hear  after Jon´s obvious displeasure on hearing about Arya´s mission.

Daenerys hugged Jon very tight  and kissed his neck, whispering in his ear: “We will not lose each other, I promise.”

Being raised in Essos, Daenerys had heard that unicorns could still be found in the mountains of Ib; since then, she had wanted to see such a rare animal at least once. Daenerys told this to her brother, Viserys, who just laughed at her and  classified this dream as “ridiculous” and “stupid”.

Now, flying over the rocky, large island, Daenerys was asking herself if Viserys had been right, if unicorns did exist, when she saw the large, wooden Castle on the top of a hill. _Kingshouse_.

She initiated her descent and was greeted by a group of very large, hairy men, who seemed to be guarding the Castle. _Better to have Eddor stay by my side._ “ I am Daenerys of House Targaryen, rightful ruler of Westeros and I seek Lord Rickon Stark. Winterfell has been retaken and House Stark is strong again.”

The men looked scared enough of Eddor, but offered Daenerys no reply; she repeated herself a couple more times, until it became clear they did not speak the same language. _I know but a few words in the Old Tongue...this is not going so well._

Despairing, Daenerys started to make hand gestures and repeating that she wanted to see “ Magnar Rickon Stark --- Lord Rickon Stark.” One of the man nodded and went inside the Castle wall, coming back later with the familiar face of Osha:

“That beast of yours has grown; it scared us all...I remembered a lizard and went inside with everybody else. The little lord you seek?”

Daenerys smiled in relief: “We owe you a great debt, Osha, for taking care of Rickon, but now, Winterfell has been retaken and is safe again. I understand the news are slow to arrive on Skagos, so that is why I came.”

“Aye, we knew... A man came one day and tried to convince Lord Rickon to go, but little lordling is stubborn. He did not want to part with Cat.” Osha was visibly with child, cupping her round belly as she spoke.

 _Oh, Rickon has a cat...well, we could take the cat, I suppose._ “ He knows me, he surely remembers me and will believe when I tell him it is safe. Shaggydog and a cat, we could carry them on dragonback, it would be uncomfortable, but until Eastwatch, it is not that far. “

Osha laughed at this idea. “Little lordling will love to ride a dragon...Cat should stay in Skagos; unicorns are very rare and are not allowed outside of the island.“

 _Oh, Cat is the unicorn's name!_ Daenerys was not surprised, but amazed; if anyone was born to ride a unicorn, it was Rickon Stark, the bravest child she had ever known “Osha, where is Rickon then?”

“ He is out, fishing with a harpoon. Little Lordling bring us the best lobsters every time he goes fishing. He should be back by supper. “ Osha sounded like a proud mother and Daenerys had to remind herself that the wildling was, in fact, Rickon´s mother, the only one he has had since catelyn Stark rode south never to return again.

 

***

Jon became agitated when Viserion returned without his mother or brother. “ We should go now, I knew it was too dangerous!”

Sandor just shook his head; because Jon gave him a very anxious look, Clegane decided to elaborate on his opinion: “ Dangerous is playing with a Targaryen on dragonback. The white beast just got bored and came back to play with the brother who is not on duty. Best if we wait some more.”

Since Tormund agreed with Clegane, Jon was forced to accept defeat: “ Very well, we wait some more, but we sail first light tomorrow if they are not here by Sun break.”

“Well, we did not need to wait that long…” Tormund just pointed to the skies and the large figure of Eddor, his wings clapping, was getting close and closer.

Jon felt his heart racing as he saw Rickon for the first time in years. _He must be about 8, 9 years old...so tall and strong, Father would be proud._

Shaggydog was the first to jump from Eddor and ran to Ghost, who welcomed his brother with an affectionate lick on his face. Rickon, Jon found, was much more guarded than his pet, at least in the first moments.

“Rickon, do you remember Jon, your brother? He came here to take you and Brandon to Winterfell. “ Daenerys said in a soothing voice; Osha was nowhere to be seen.

“Do not be afraid, Rickon. I missed you, brother.” Jon then came to hug the boy, who at least responded to the sign of affection displayed, despite being obviously overwhelmed.

“ Where is Brandon?” , Rickon asked.

Jon answered their brother was still Beyond The wall and that they were going to get him, as soon as he tamed Rhaegal; Rickon liked to hear that : “ Oh...flying is very fast, faster than riding Shaggydog or Cat. I had to leave Cat behind and Osha also could not come; she says I will have a brother soon, was too scared to ride the dragon. But I was not scared. I was also not scared when I broke Cat...I could help you with Rhaegal, must not be that difficult from an unicorn…”

It was Tormund´s turn to shake his head in disbelief and laugh heartily: “ Starks! Riding direwolves and now, unicorns, no wonder people kneel for you, the ignorant bastards! Jon, you are more handsome than any of my daughters, but if you manage to ride that beast...well, I will not kneel for you. Especially because I know you have a small pecker, but still...it would make you as brave as one of the warriors of the Free Folk!”

 

***

Rickon relaxed even more during supper and talked about his life on Skagos; he spoke the Old Tongue fluently, learned how to swim in the cold water of the Bay of Seals holding his breath long enough to get lobsters and had found one of the last unicorns , who became his favorite ride. It was visible that Rickon loved Osha very much and would miss the life he left behind., which made Jon ask himself whether Rickon could actually adapt to the constraints of a new life in Winterfell.

Jon was not sure he liked the answer.

Would it be fair to ask Rickon to sacrifice his happiness, his freedom for House Stark, when both his parents left him, young and alone, to go south and play the game of thrones? Rickon had always been wild and fierce, but his stay at Skagos had only made more obvious that the life of a lord was not suited to him. His speech, his ideas and his experiences had more in common with the Free Folk and how they raised their children than to the upbringing befitting to the heir of Winterfell.

During the night, as Jon kissed Daenerys breathless, he could not shake the feeling that Rickon would not chose Duty over Love.

“You are worried...I can see that. You only took me twice tonight. You should trust me, Jon. Is it about Rickon ?”

“I am afraid of Sansa's reaction. She is expecting and under a lot of stress: I told her Brandon might have changed, but did not realize that Rickon too, would change.”

“We all change. There is nothing one can do against it. Life took Rickon to this direction, but he is still young. It will do him good to come back to Winterfell, to remember the place and the stories. Had he stayed on Skagos, he would have forgotten all about them…”

 _Father...Robb...Lady Catelyn, his mother._ Sometimes, Jon was grateful to have been raised as a bastard, without any real prospects and responsibilities. He would simply not allow Rickon to be used as a pawn, not even if it meant going against Sansa. Jon prayed that Brandon was in a position to take over. Mayhaps Rickon could send a child of his, or even, Sansa, to Winterfell, to be raised as heir? It would be better than to make the young man conform to a life he did not want to.

“Emotionally, yes, you are right. Rickon has to know to be able to chose. We both know, however, that Lords and Ladies will see him as a piece in the game. They might create problems. My brother wishes to be free and Brandon…”

Daenerys took a deep breath and kissed Jon once more, ardently, hungrily. She heard his heart beating and felt the warmth of his blood flow. “ A solution will present itself, Jon. It usually works this way. Do not worry, at least not now.”

She then started to leave a trail of kisses as she made her way down. When her mouth swallowed his cock, Jon forgot all his problems.

 

***

“He is ready, Jon…”

He knew it was true.

Rhaegal had accepted him, the dragon's eyes communicating their approval. It was a beautiful animal, one that Jon felt destined too. _It is named after my father, my real father, who died without knowing I was born._

Jon walked around Rhaegal, touching its scales with love and respect.

“We will be together, from now on.”

He then climbed on his left wing, and sat right at the end of his long, green scaled neck.

“Valahd”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FAQ for criticism ( read before commenting)
> 
> 1)Ned would never betray his wife; you do not understand the character:
> 
> Ned here had two more years to start to rethink things. 
> 
> I started out with a very unlikely premisse for the character Eddard Stark: that he would leave Winterfell to cross the Narrow Sea in search of Jorah Mormont. Ned would NEVER do that; he purpposedly stayed in Winterfell for years, did not allow his children to be fostered outside and did not try to convince 14 years old boys to wait and think twice before joining the Night´s Watch ( Benjen was about 14 years and so was Jon in canon), simply because Ned does not like confrontations. 
> 
> Ned sleeping with Daenerys is a bold move, but only the second unlikely thing he does here.It is part of the narrative of this fic that Ned Stark was not acting like Ned Stark.
> 
> That is exactly why he breaks up with Daenerys and stays with Catelyn.
> 
> 2) You did not tag this fic correctly; this is not Jonerys; 
> 
> I did tag this fic correctly.
> 
> Daenerys has multiple relationships and so does Jon. I did not aim to write a fic where it was just Jon and Dany meeting, fighting and then, staying together. 
> 
> They meet in the first chapters, spend a couple of chapters getting to know each other as aunt and nephew. Daenerys does not hide her previous relationship with Ned; Jon is shocked, but it is not his life, he does not judge.
> 
> After two years they meet again at chapter 16; at that point, YES...they are in love. You might question how they fall in love, but cannot say this is not Jonerys. They have LIFES and I explore their lifes as individuals rather than only their pairing.
> 
> 3) Jon should be disgusted by Daenerys;she is a leftover from Ned; 
> 
> First of all; it is not like Daenerys jumps bed, from uncle to nephew; she has a briefly, albeit intense, sexual relationship with Eddard before he breaks up with her. Daenerys does not hide it from Jon when they meet as aunt and nephew.
> 
> Second: it was common in Medieval world that a woman would be bethroted/married to different members of a same family. In ASOIAF, GRRM used this a couple of times: Maegor marrying his nephew´s widow ; Margaery going from real Baratheon to fake Baratheon; and even Catelyn Tully, going from Brandon Stark ( a man famous from not being shy about taking what he wanted from women) to Ned. 
> 
> But here, yes, it is sex and love and I do FIRMLY believe that no woman should be called a leftover. Jon came back from the dead after being stabbed multiple times, it would be VERY strange to cling to very stupid oscial notions. 
> 
> If you think Daenerys is a leftover, the problem is you. Grow up
> 
> 4)They start fucking out out nothing; you tag this fic incorrectly, because they barely know each other and just meet in the end.
> 
> Jon and Daenerys meet in the first chapters; they know each other for years. When they meet at Eastwach, they already knew each other; Jon had pledged to support Daenerys. 
> 
> Since it is a fantastic world, I took a step further and added a shared dream, a moment where Daenerys stop thinking of Jon as a nephew and Jon stop thinking of Daenerys as an aunt.
> 
> They meet, as lovers, Chapter 16 AFTER meeting previously and dreaming about each other. There will be 9 more chapters after this one. The end is chapter 25 not 16, so…start counting correctly!
> 
> ASOIAF is a world were LITERALLY men and women meet the first time on their wedding day and are expected to fuck that same night. 
> 
> Let´s all be honest: GRRM will only put them both together by A dream of Spring, possibly the last book. I cannot be blamed for the same. GRRM is the one that will put them together in the end. Go complain with him.
> 
>  5)This is getting worse and worse... You do not understand the characters,the motivations, your work is shit.
> 
> I like to leave the comments sections open because I believe one should be able to hear good and bad things. I can now understand some authors of more risque material that opt to moderate comments, but I would never do that. 
> 
> I read so many fics that I liked at the first chapters but kept disagreeing with the author´s choices througout the fic, that I ended feeling like the potential had been wasted, but I always realized that this is just my emotional reaction; The author goes where has to go.
> 
> 6)This fic is shit...why did I come here? There are so many better fics of Jonerys out there...
> 
> Dude, go read them. My stuff is my stuff. You do not have to like it, but you could be less rude, right?
> 
> Fanfiction world is so full of possibilities. Go explore the others and leave me to explore my ideas.


	17. Snow and Sand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon stays North and , little by little, he pieces together House Stark and returns to Castle Black to say goodbye. 
> 
> Daenerys goes South and has a meeting with Prince Doran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you stayed with me that far, thank you for your attention and support.
> 
> The story is coming to an end and the chapters are rooted in Jon and Daenerys. They are together but they are also independent human beings. 
> 
> For those who do not know me, I mostly write humour and crazy fics, This is my one and only attempt at serious ASOIAF. 
> 
> Comments are welcome. But since I was able to finally come to terms that my fic had been invaded by trolls, I , for the sake of keeping the dialogue open, have been forced to start deleting the trolls. 
> 
> Negative comments of valid nature, with criticism, will be answered as always, in a polite manner. If you are rude, or if you are one of those who keep coming back, chapter after chapter, just to complain about the same things...then , I am sorry, but you must either behave or leave.

Daenerys heart was beating fast seeing Jon up in the skies, flying on Rhaegal´s back .The greatness of her House, their true allegiance should have been the bond between human and animal, nature and mankind. It was clear to Daenerys how House Targaryen had betrayed itself when they locked their dragons and started to treat them as means to an end. Daenerys knew that Dragons should not be feared, but respected. They were beautiful, amazing creatures, a wonder unmatched, and she had brought them back to make the world a better place, not only for her heart´s desire.

_If they are monsters, so am I._

She closed her eyes and summoned Eddor, eager to join Jon and Rhaegal. Viserion was nesting at the bottom of Eastwatch; Eddor grunted at the lazy brother and soon, Viserion was also  by their side. _I hope Aegon Blackfyre will remain faithful to our cause and prove himself enough; only then I will give him leave to claim Viserion._ Daenerys was aware that a dragon unclaimed might become an easy target, but she had to be careful in dealing with her distant cousin.

Not because Daenerys distrusted Aegon, but because the game had changed once again.

Dorne had signed a Pact with her, expecting a Martell King to seat on the Iron Throne as her Consort. Prince Oberyn died fighting against Ser Gregor Clegane to avenge the death of his sister, Elia Martell in knightly fashion, but in doing this, he robbed his brother, Prince Doran, of regaining power and influence.

Daenerys would not marry Quentyn, nor Trystane for that matter.

How could she?

Jon was the one; he would be King and rule alongside her.

Regardless of her feelings, Aegon Blackfyre was now married to Princess Arianne, fulfilling his side of their Pact with House Nymeros Martell. A pact she herself sought. While Oberyn passions and impulsiveness derailed Prince Doran´s plans, tradition dictated that another member of House Martell would be given to Daenerys, and Doran had two sons of the right age, unmarried and available.

Daenerys had to go south, sooner or later, to prevent her alliance with the Martells to turn into bitter rivalry.

Jon´s kisses should have been all she cared about at that moment, but Daenerys was worried. Jon was to depart in the morrow, to go Beyond The Wall and from there, to Castle Black to meet with Maester Aemon and once again, to Winterfell. Journeys that would take him a couple of moon turns, give it or take, now would be done in a matter of days. “How could I have lived without a dragon for all those years?”  Jon asked, and she laughed.

Daenerys had never seen Jon happier; her heart warmed up just by hearing his voice, filled with enthusiasm, speaking about Rhaegal, about flying and, mostly, about her.

She would never tire of hearing Jon saying how much he loved her.

Her heart was full of love, but her head was filled with worries.

Jon stopped meddling with her hair and became serious :“What is the matter, Dany? I am usually the one sulking…”

Daenerys could not avoid the subject anymore: “House Martell that is. I am afraid Prince Doran will expect me to go through with the betrothal.”

“Do not fret, Dany. It is quite simple: Prince Oberyn died. The betrothal ended there, in King's Landing.” Jon said matter of factly and went to attack Daenerys neck with kisses, but stopped the moment she reminded him of another betrothal that should have ended with the groom´s death, but went through nevertheless: “ Ned Stark married Catelyn Tully, am I correct, Jon?”

Jon froze: “ Should I leave, give you up... is that what you are trying to tell me? I could not judge you for keeping this agreement, this pact. You might lose Dorne´s spears  otherwise. But  know this: I will not be your bed warmer, no matter how much I love you, Dany. “

 _Oh, he is angry at me!? He thinks I want to keep him as a Paramour?_ Daenerys knew this was far from her intentions, but she could see why Jon would think that. He had been raised as a bastard, painfully aware of political marriages and unrecognized relationships.

No, she did not want to give Jon up, not even for political gain : _”_ I did not know I would fall in love with you when I signed the contract, Jon. I want you to remember that. But… no.  I will not marry any of Doran´s sons. I want you, I love you and I will not sell my happiness as my brother sold my maidenhead. Yes, I am afraid of the consequences of breaking this betrothal, if Prince Doran is willing to push for his sons, as I imagine he will. Because Aegon Blackfyre also signed a contract, and is fulfilling the terms of our original agreement, in ways I will refuse to. Part of the reason he signed was a promise I made:  to give him leave to tame a Dragon and to have his sword. Do you understand, Jon, _why_ is that I am worried?”

Jon understood, but it did not make things easier. “I apologise, my love.”

Jon felt the weight of being a bastard again. Without a name, nor lands, nor men under his command, he was in no use to help Daenerys achieve her ambitions. What could he offer to her cause that Dorne could not? Jon could try and convince some members of the Free Folk to fight for them, but what would this mean when compared to 20.000 spears? Jon was now a dragonrider, but thanks to Daenerys, who had hatched the dragons herself, who had came with an Unsullied Army and the Dothraki at her disposal .

Dorne could give Daenerys not only fighting men, but a marriage alliance with a Great House and the backing of their nobles, whereas Jon… Jon, all he could offer Daenerys was his love.

Jon had to concede Daenerys _had_ reasons to worry. “Aye, the Blackfyre Rebellions. I do not know the lad, Dany, but,  for what you have told me, he is true in his intentions. The men around him,  however, the men giving him counsel ...that is where the peril lies. The Golden Company, after so many years in exile, supporting a Targaryen when they had their own claimant? You are afraid Dorne will chose the Blackfyre married to a Martell over the Targaryen who refuses to wed one of their own. I do understand. Whatever your decision is, Daenerys, I will support your claim. I will give my life for you, I swear it. “

 _He thinks I will have no choice but to give him up._ Daenerys leaned in, touching Jon´s shoulder with her right hand, while she planted the left one over the mattress, to support her weight. She moved her face closer to his, pushing Jon also in her direction, and they touched their foreheads: “I will wed no other than you, Jon. “

Their lovemaking was urgent, passionate and troubled by their imminent separation. Daenerys hoped it would not be for long, while Jon prayed he could be of more help in the future. Dorne was not to be underestimated. Daenerys was, after all, choosing the bastard Rhaegar Targaryen had with Lyanna Stark, the woman he chose over Princess Elia Martell.

Prince Doran would not like that. Truth was, Jon could not fault the man.

It was still dark when they broke their fasts. Jon would fly with only Tormund as escort while Sandor would stay with Rickon and Shaggydog at Eastwatch for another 3 days; if Jon was not to appear, they would move to Winterfell and wait there.

Daenerys was also leaving: she was set to start her campaign, to liberate Westeros from House Lannister´s greedy hands. Jon had told her about Sansa and her marriage to Lord Willas. Her connection with House Tyrell aside, both Jon and Daenerys agreed they were mere opportunists. Furthermore,  Sansa had disclosed the alliance between Reach and Westerlands was on shaky grounds. Daenerys reasoned that a public display of her military power would make  not only the tides turn , but make the Tyrells go back to Highgarden, where they should have stayed.

Jon agreed; he came to respect and like Lord Willas, but Lady Olenna and Lord Mace Tyrell sounded like heavy handed merchants, selling their support to the highest bidder, loyalty and House honor be damned.

“I wish you good fortune in the wars to come, and that I may be at your side, my love.” Jon kissed Daenerys goodbye and felt  tears rolling down her eyes; before he could say anything, Rickon broke the spell:

“Are they never stopping with all that kissing? I don't understand...it should not be _that_ good! “

Before Tormund could say something about Shella or make a jape about Jon´s little pecker, Sandor replied: “ Now, boy, just wait a few more years and you will not only understand the appeal of the act, but will probably make a fool out of yourself trying to find a woman stupid enough to allow you such liberties. “

 

***

Tormund held Jon too tight, scared for his life. _I could not possibly miss Daenerys as much as I do now...an ugly, bearded man hugging me from behind._ “I know you are scared, Tormund, but...I can barely breath here.”

No answer.

“We will descend now, Tormund. It is better we go by foot from here. “ There was a clearance in the Haunted Forest that was large enough for Rhaegal to land and take off.

Just after they were on solid ground, Tormund spoke: “ Tis odd that we have such a place in the middle of the forest...we have water running nearby and a cave entrance. Somebody must be living here. Either one of Craster's wives that ran away or something worse.”

Usually, Jon would not allow himself to be optimistic, but this time, he felt the would be lucky : “Mayhaps it is Brandon and Lady Meera. A year ago they were off to find the  cave of the Three Eyed Crow. Here might be the exact location. I hope so, because I want to go back.”

Tormund nodded: “ Yes, I know why you want to come back. Can't say I blame you.”

They moved towards the cave and saw more signs it was habited. Thes topped: what would they do next? Jon felt they should make their presence known to whoever was living in the cave, but Tormund´s argument was pretty much the opposite, suggesting they would enter the cage, but not too deep into the darkness.

 

***

Benjen Stark had never imagined his life would take a turn for the best when he got lost in the cold wilderness, after being attacked by reanimated corpses. His companions also died and would, undoubtedly , turn into wights. He decided he would live and return to Castle Black, to inform Lord Commander Mormont and start preparing the Realm. He had tried, but there was nothing he could do to save the other rangers; had he stayed when the last man was being overpowered, they would both perish.

He was, of course, wounded. Benjen´s prayers to the Old Gods, asking for enough time for him to be able to find his way back, seemed to have been answered when he came upon a strange, undead creature, riding an Elk. Said creature took him to a cave and there, instead of being saved, Benjen Stark would have been offered in sacrifice to the weirwood, had he not escaped.

What Benjen had learned with the wildlings after all those years of fighting against him had actually saved his life: the cave system where the Children lived were huge and he managed to find a spot on the opposite end, where he carved protective runes on the walls and waited for the snows to disperse.

Benjen lost count of the days he spent there, eating the mushrooms and translucid fishes of the cave´s waters. A ranger of the Night's watch, a small set of survival tools would be always close to him. His wounds were superficial, it seemed, but the recovery under those conditions was to be slow.

When he felt it was time to move, the snows fell again, but this time, Benjen had took to start patrolling the area. Whatever the Children did to him inside that cave, made wights avoid his presence.

Benjen was outside one day, hunting, when he heard footsteps and heavy breathing. He knew it was not a wight, but someone, probably running from the Undead, as he had before. He would be dammed if he would let another person, wildling or not, to fall prey to the Children, but still, he had to careful in how to reveal himself.

It was not a wildling warrior, or a lost brother of the Watch that Benjen found that day, but a woman, of noble birth, a bannerman of House Stark named Meera Reed.

She told her story; how her brother had been sacrificed, after being lured into that cave and how the magic of the Children took hold of Brandon Stark. She insisted there was something left of the boy still, because he had helped her escape. Although Benjen wanted to rescue his nephew...he knew going back would be to risk not only his life, but Meera´s.

Benjen decided to wait once again; this time for a right opportunity to try and whisky Brandon from that cave and from them to run from that wretched place.

But what happened next, changed everything.

Meera was small, brave...beautiful. Benjen knew it was not only the isolation; he was really attarcted to her and she, to him.

They not only fell in love, but Benjen broke his vows not only by lying with Meera, but by becoming a father.

Benjen was out, trying to hunt enough for them to preserve the meat and make their move south. The weather would not stay firm for much longer, he reasoned, and he wanted to bring his family to safety.

Brandon was also his family, he freminded himself. However, when Summer, his direwolf, came to the cave to stay with Meera and Benjen,  both concluded that Brandon had merged into the weirwood taking the seat from the present incarnation of the Three Eyed Raven.

It was then, when they had finally come to terms with the fact that Brandon was lost and that they had to keave, that Jon and Tormund arrived.

Benjen was in the woods when he had seen and heard something flying in the sky. He thought Meera and the babe might be in danger, so he made to the cave as fast as possible, just to find his elder nephew there.

“Boy or girl, Uncle?” Jon asked, looking with fascination at the small bundle in Meera´s arms.

Benjen´s voice could not hide his happiness: “ A boy. His name is Rodrick.”

“Rodrick Reed, heir to Greywater Watch.” Meera was quick to answer, before the question of her son´s legitimacy would arise. “He was born three turns of moon ago, which means we have been here for a year. We should leave, we should all leave.”

Tormund agreed: “ We will, on dragonback, thanks to Jon…”

Benjen and Meera looked incredulously at Jon: “ It is a ...long story. But I am happy, very happy now. I thought you died, uncle...and I went north of The Wall, searching for you. That is how I met Tormund here...I was trying to find if the Free Folk was holding you as hostage. I am glad you are alive and that you saved Lady Meera, I truly am. But the truth is, I took you for dead. We just came here for Meera and Brandon.”

Jon was now asking himself if Rhaegal  could carry all of them to safety in one go; if not, he would have to come back. There was no time to lose. They needed to move fast. While preparing to enter the other side of the cave, Jon shared the past and present developments with Meera and Benjen.

“You should stay near the entrance of the cave and come out when you hear Rhaegal arriving...take only what you need. Tormund and I will enter the cave from the other side. I hope Hodor is also alive; Old Nan would like to have her great grandson back at Winterfell.“

And so, they went.

 

***

Tormund was carrying Brandon on his back and trying his best to run as fast as possible. Benjen and Meera followed suit, as they could see a mess of bones and the smell of burned flesh coming from the other side.

They reached the clearance and Rhaegal landed; Jon did not need to get down and help them up, as the dragons himself offered his left wing to the new passengers.

Meera noticed the absence of Hodor and Summer, but dared not ask, at least not now that they were about to leave that wretched place. It was clear they have perished and perhaps it was better not to know the details.

“Before we leave, you should burn them,  Jon, or they will turn...we cannot let this happen.” Brandon said.

Jon nodded; he said something they could not understand but Rhaegal did, and breathed fire on the cave, the wights and everywhere he could.

Less than an hour later, they made it to Eastwatch, where decisions had to be made.

Benjen looked dejected; he was back at The Wall, but now he had a wife, and he had a son. He was an oathbreaker. If Commander Pyke was to ask for his head, he would have to agree it was the fair punishment for his crimes.

They landed near the village and not atop the Castle for this reason; what would be of Benjen? They had ordered ale and soup in a improvised Inn and speaking in hushed tones “The North is changing, uncle...I also left The Watch, Different circumstances, but still...I could help. They will recognize you. We could change clothes and you could continue south.”

If Benjen was to live, he would have to return to Castle Black, to his duties, or run and assume a new identity. Brandon who had remained silent and aloof, distant and cold, offered a third solution. “ I am the heir of Winterfell, but I care not. For all purposes, I was almost a man grown when I went away with Meera. I could claim him and her as my own, give them the Stark name.“

Benjen was conflicted, in doubt. Brandon, who he fought had been lost forever, had a solution. Painful as it was, to think he would not be so present in his son´s and Meera´s lifes, Brandon was in the position to provide Benjen´s family with a future.. “Bran, what you are offering...it is...very generous. But you are too young, they would talk...”

“Nobody would dare say Rodrick is not my son, that he is not a Stark.You took your vows when you were no older than I am now;  You knew you would die serving the Realm. And you will. Besides, your seed took root again and Meera will have a heiress to Greywater Watch. Houses Reed and Stark lines will continue.“

Meera accused Benjen of choosing Duty over Family, over Love. It did not make sense to her, even after seeing what she saw. She had lost a brother she loved dearly already; she had been parted from her family and home for too long. How could Benjen had made this decision ? Did she mean so ...little to him?

“No, Meera, I chose you and Rodrick. Don´t you see? He will grow to be Lord Stark and you will be Lady of Winterfell. What could I offer you, or him , or the babe on the way? I am a Brother of the Night's Watch, sworn and bound to service the Realm. I know the enemy more than anyone at Castle Black. You are the mother of my children, the woman I love. The first duty of a man is to protect his family and that is what I am doing, returning to Castle Black. “

Before Jon and Benjen were to fly to Castle Black, Meera had dried her tears; she did not want Benjen to remember her like this crying. “ We will be at Winterfell waiting for you then. I will send you a raven when the babe is due. You could be excused for some time, to come and visit us. Please, come back. We love you.”

Neither Benejn or Meera wanted the kiss to end, but it was time to go :“I love you, Meera...Next time we see each other, you will be Lady Stark.” Benjen tried to smile at the irony, but it was impossible.

The pain was too great .

 

***

Benjen did not say anything when they arrived at Castle Black. Jon was sure there was nothing he could say or do that would give his uncle solace, other than giving him time and space to reflect. He would only return to Eastwatch in the next day and hoped to have a moment with Benjen before that.

There was another uncle that needed Jon´s attention.

Aemon Targaryen had been in ill health for some time, but upon feeling the presence of Rhaegal- Jon did not fool himself it was because of him- Aemon left his bed and came to meet the dragon.

The old Maester was calmly petting Rhaegal´s face, who purred like a big cat : “Oh, the warmth of his scales...the greatness of our House is restored! I am thankful to have lived long enough to witness this.Thank you, Jon. It mean...everything to me.”

“Daenerys would have come, but she had pressing matters at Dorne. A long flight, as you could imagine. She send her regards.” Jon asked himself if it would be a good idea to offer his great -uncle a ride, as it was already dark and the cold air, even colder than usual. _Mayhaps tomorrow morning._ “ Is there a place we could talk, Maester Aemon?”

They went to the library and sat before a brazier; Aemon asked his steward to wait outside and give them the needed privacy: “ Beyond the Wall, in a strange cave, I met with a man you know- or knew- too well, uncle.”

“Lord Commander Rivers, I suppose. He disappeared long time ago and he was already an old man. The Wall must be keeping us with dragon blood alive for a reason.”

“He is dead now...at least his body is. For what I understood, he was a greenseer and his conscience will merge with the weirwoods. There were Children of The Forest in that cave, Maester Aemon. They engaged in queer, blood sacrifice rituals. They tried to kill my uncle for his blood and they used Jojen Reed for that. Lord Rivers was guiding my cousin, Brandon, into this path. I would not have forgiven him, to have attracted an innocent child, to be used in such dark magic, if not for two things. He showed me how the White Walkers were created...and he returned us Dark Sister.”

Jon handed Aemon the sword; the old maester was blind and sick, but his hands were mapping the pommel, recognizing the metal work and the gem encrasted in the middle. " You ride a dragon and now carries Dark Sister. I know you have been raised as a Stark, Jon, but forgive me if I say that the Dragon inside you is demanding to be released. Do not fight it...Aemon! Kill the boy, and let the man be born!"

"I will not wield Dark Sister; Longclaw is my sword, until the day I pass and then, it will be returned to Bear Island. I intend to give it to Daenerys and...yes"

Maester Aemon interrupted Jon with a laugh : " Oh...forget what I said: this dragon inside is already out. Aerys and Rhaella were forced to marry one another, but among us, true love would arise. I am happy for the both of you. I am afraid that I will not the alive by the time you wed, but there is something you could still to for me. "

It was dark, cold and wet, and Jon protested, but Aemon was insistent : " Never leave for tomorrow what you can do today, Jon! The truth is, I am dying. I have always dreamt, Jon, of dragons. Now there is one here and I want to fly. Rhaegal can take the both of us, I assume, he is big enough."

"Aye, he is. We will not be up for long, though. The day was long and the weather, getting worse."

It was quick, but worth it, as Maester Aemon took a turn for the worst the next day and could not even recognize Jon when he went to say goodbye. He was already calling for his brother, Egg. 

Jon just kissed his great-uncle goodbye and left for the last time.

He met Benjen by the door, clad all in black, no hint of a smile in his eyes: " Uncle Benjen, I am leaving to Eatwatch and from there, to Winterfell. I will send a raven as soon as we arrive. Sansa just want to leave Winterfell in good hands and Meera is a wonderful mother. I know it is a big sacrifice what Brandon asked of you, but, given the circumstances...I am trully sorry, uncle."

"You should not be, Jon. You are a good man. Do you think the northern Lords will buy the lie? Mayhaps they will try and have Rickon in Bradon´s place..."

Jon admitted there was a possibility of some Lords creating a problem, but he doubted Rickon would want to stay for long: " The sucession of Winterfell will not be discussed by the Lords. This is a family matter and Brandon is the next in line. He recognized Rodrick as his heir and this is final. However, the Lords might press to keep the North an independent Kingdom. "

Benjen never liked politics; he had avoided all his life, thus becoming a ranger at Castle Black. However, he was not naive and knew that Jon was right in his assessment : " Rickon is too young; Sansa is a woman and married to a Tyrell and, for what you told me, Arya has not changed that much and is hardly Lady material. They would never make Brandon King. The North either supports one of the claimants to the Iron Throne or...elects another King with Stark blood. "

Jon said his goodbyes and went to Eastwach with his uncle´s words echoing in his head.

***

Daenerys arrived at Sunspear as an honoured guest this time and was received without subterfuge. If their plans would have not been disturbed, she would be a member of House Martell by marriage.

Prince Doran was thought as a wise man and Daenerys hoped she would be able to convince him to stay at her side; he had not been particularly warm towards her when Daenerys had requested Prince Oberyn to be her Consort instead of Quentyn, and now she was about to spurn his unlucky son for a second time.

The Prince remained silent for a few seconds after Daenerys had explained him she was not to join herself through marriage with Dorne : “I admire your honesty, Princess. You fell in love, I understand that. I myself you see, I  married for love and without my mother´s consent. But Mellario was of noble blood and her connections were important ones. You, Princess,  are risking our support over an affair with the Bastard of Winterfell. How many fighting men can he offer you?”

Revealing the truth about Jon would be dangerous, but it was a secret that would not remain as secret for that long. “Prince Doran, I can only tell you the truth. I would have married your brother, Prince Oberyn, but he died, and for that I am very sorry; he as a remarkable man and I would have been content to have him as my Consort. Simply out, things change, I went North and fell in love with Jon, who is a bastard, yes, but far from being without means or connections.”

“As far as I know Jon Snow is not only a bastard but also a deserter of the Night's Watch. The North seems to have changed, but here at Dorne, we take our vows seriously. How could such man be a better Consort than Prince Quentyn Nymeros Martell?”

Daenerys took a sip from her goblet and tried to further her argument : “Jon pledged his life to the Night's Watch, this is true. As Lord Commander, he allowed the Free Folk to cross south because soon, Westeros will face the Great Enemy in the only war that matters. An army of Undead is trying to cross south. Despite this knowledge and his very reasoned decisions, some of his brothers conspired and tried to kill Jon. He executed the mutineers and left the Watch with the knowledge and tacit agreement of his former brothers.Jon is fit to be my Consort because he is a dragon himself, and a rider to one.The dragon that chose Jon is called Rhaegal...in honour of my late brother, his natural father.”

Before Prince Doran could say anything- he looked positively displeased- Daenerys added: “The main goal of House Martell should be bringing Justice upon House Lannister and House Baratheon for what they had done against Princess Elia and her children. As for vengeance, Prince Doran, I offer the sweetest type there is:  a bright future and a place of honour to see our enemies crumbling. Their legacy is being destroyed as we speak and without our direct interference. The Usurper was cuckolded and died as a drunkard; one of his brothers killed the other and ended up dying North. Save for Lady Shireen, who is under House Stark´s protection, House Baratheon is gone. House Lannister will follow suit and I will be the one to end their mummer's farce. I want Dorne by my side.”

”There are some Houses in Dorne that had supported Blackfyres before, Princess. Some of my men might speak for Aegon Blackfyre, my good son and a capable commander. ”

“Aegon Blackfyre line comes from a Targaryen Bastard, I am aware. However, Daemon Blackfyre had only a sword, and Jon has a dragon. Prince Doran, you would be helping House Lannister if you are to declare your support to Aegon, and you know this. Rhaegar´s foolishness aside, Jon is a Bastard of Royal Blood. Jon does have a claim to the Iron Throne if you consider that Daemon Blackfyre, Aegon´s ancestor, had a claim to begin with. I say Houses Martell, Blackfyre and Targaryen should remain together. Now and in the future. Princess Arianne is with child. I hope to be a mother very soon. They could be fostered together...with time, love would grow and bond our families through blood without the need of our meddling. “

Prince Doran preferred the Water Gardens to Sunspear; not able to move freely, he had come to enjoy watching the children playing in the swimming pools, perhaps even remnding himself that one day he had also been young and vibrant.  

He looked at Daenerys and all he saw was her youth. Her strengh and her intelligence, those he knew already. Prince Doran was older, but was he wiser? She had not only the best claim, but dragons, armies, gold and was already experienced in warfare. Impusive, yes, but also fair in her assessments. Daenerys was offering Dorne the chance at being her first ally in Westeros and, as she said, a future. 

Prince Doran had only two choices: accept that his alliance with House Targaryen would have to wait another generation to be tied by blood, due to a mistake by his late brother´s part, or risk the lives of his subjects and engage in a war he was sure they would lose.

"Very well, Princess, Dorne is yours, now and always."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are welcome, but please, don´t be rude, don´t insult anyone and know that, if you are crossing the borders of polite society (lol) or if you are one of a group of people who keep coming back chapater after chapter to say the same things to me, I reserve myself the right to delte your comment, as it is just unhelpful trolling.


	18. Friends of old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A King is made in The North and a Queen must fight in the south,  
> Arya meets some friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, now I will have more time and I intend in updating as much as every week or, if life does not allow me, twice a month.
> 
> The reasons for my absence of this fic:  
> 1) Life  
> 2) I was writing other fics, exploring my passion for crazy stuff and odd pairings and  
> 3) I was reading a lot of fics! 
> 
> Now, I must tell you that every comment or kudos I receive I take a look at your bookmarks and read some of the stuff you also read, as it is like being recommended, you know?
> 
> I agree with a lot of criticism I receive: I am not that good with dialogue and I almost never describe places well. HOWEVER I can only be accused of not writting so well because here we have so MANY TALENTED AUTHORS.
> 
> So, yes, people, check each others bookmarks and give us some recommendatiosn of good fics in the comments! Let´s spread the love!
> 
> PS: I started a fic on "what if Rhaegar had not ran away with Lyanna". It is in the 4th chapter and I would like VERY MUCH if you could see if it is to your liking, as I am having so much fun writing it!  
> It is called: Ice, Fire and everything in between. Below is the link, please, copy and past in your browser, if you would give me the pleasure of your reading!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/12905490/chapters/29483358
> 
> PS2: I welcome criticism; trolling not. I already addressed this before: If you do not like the story, please, do not return. There are so many good stories out there for you. Do not come here to insult me. If you have a valid criticism and if you are able to write in a respectfull manner, you will be addressed. I am not here because I wish to prais be praised, as I am not here to read that I should stop writing, just because you do not like my style, my ideas or worse, if you are unable to accept that I like my characters having a LOT of sex, with as many partners as they (I) want.

Sansa vowed not to take sides and watch the war for the North and its future unfolding before her eyes at the Great Hall in Winterfell.

The remaining members of House Stark present- Sansa, Jon, Rickon, Brandon and Lady Meera Reed - had met the previous night at the Godswood. Their decision, of recognizing Brandon as the new Lord Stark and his political marriage to Meera was unanimous for many reasons, the state of mind of the youngest brother being the decisive factor.

Rickon was not only unfit to rule, but wanted to stay as far from Winterfell as possible. The boy started having nightmares as soon as he arrived and was placed in his old room. He missed the cold waters, the freedom and looked at Sansa with suspicion. Lady Lyanna Mormont was but a couple of years older than Rickon and a capable ruler in her own right. Sansa felt that a bond between the two would come with time and presented the idea of Rickon and Osha to be sent to Bear Island instead of Skagos. Jon and Brandon understood immediately Sansa´s intentions, but Rickon, too young and naive, could only think about hunting bears and teaching Lyanna how to fish with a harpoon.

This matter being already settled, Sansa asked Osha to take Rickon and Shaggydog back to Winterfell and they started to talk in ernst:

“The destiny of the Northern Kingdom still needs to be discussed. We need to reach an agreement on House Stark position before the Lords arrive. I am in favor of remaining an independent Kingdom, with Brandon as both Lord of Winterfell and King of Winter. He has an heir in Rodrik Stark and a spare in Rickon. It should be enough to guarantee a line of succession. I am also no fool to think the Lords would push for my claim or Arya´s for that matter, when we have two sons of Lord Eddard Stark here.” Sansa could see that Jon was offended, and with some reason. She tried to rectify the situation, by adding his name later, as an afterthought and apologising.

_It was stupid of me. A bastard he might be in the eyes of The North, but he was raised and educated in Winterfell, side by side with Robb. They know him as a capable commander and he has acquired not only a Valyrian Steel sword, but a dragon and a small army with the wildlings._

Jon looked at Brandon; as the Three Eyed Raven, the middle Stark brother was aware of the true origins of Jon Snow, but the secret was being kept from the rest of the family, insofar as to not inflame an already unstable situation.

Sansa never expected Brandon, her chosen candidate, to be the voice against her plans: “ The Northern Kingdom is a lost cause. We cannot sustain ourselves in wintertime; clansmen go to the snows to die, choosing cold over starvation. I offer my name and presence as a political tool to appease and stabilize The North simply because we need to prepare for the only war that matters. I will not stay long to play Father to Meera´s son and Lord to our bannermen. I say we give our nominal support to the Dragon Queen. We know Daenerys and Jon has enlisted her in fighting the White Walkers. She will come North as soon as she has gained enough of the south to her cause. Meera will have her hands full already with two children, a Keep and a lordship; we should not burden her with a Kingdom.”

“They will never accept that, Brandon.” Sansa then turned to Jon: “ There will be some who will support your claim, Jon, if you wish to serve as King. There are others who will hate you for bringing the wildlings south and for leaving the Watch. Even if the White Walkers come, The North will not be united, not under a Dragon banner.”

Brandon  had changed; the boy they met was gone and, in his place, a cold, distant but extremely powerful person emerged. Jon could only be thankful for Brandon assuming Rodrick as his own and for now supporting Daenerys. But still, Jon missed the child he had loved: “I support Brandon´s position, Sansa, and that is my final word, unless something new comes up and the situation changes. Lady Meera, you should also have a say in this.”

Sansa had received Meera with open arms, training her in managing Winterfell, a task Sansa herself agreed Meera was capable of. Meera did not wish to be on her good sister bad side and wished her father, Lord Reed, was there to offer her counsel; in his absence, she had to agree with both Brandon and Jon. “ It seems to me the time for The Northern Kingdom has come to an end. Although I do not expect our position to be a particularly popular one, it will be the only chance we have in surviving the Long Night. We will need food from the south and, if we lose this war, we might need to evacuate the North and close The Neck.”

Sansa could hardly believe what she was hearing; it was a lot to take in. She had the faintest notion of the threat that lied beyond The Wall. She, however, trusted Jon and Meera to be telling the truth; of Brandon, Sansa had been at loss since the moment she hugged him and felt like his brother´s soul was locked inside an icicle. “Very well then; even if Arya would side with me, without Brandon's full cooperation, I agree the Northern Kingdom should cease the exist, once again. I will support this idea and work on the transition to the best of my capabilities. Then I will go south to Highgarden and I will do my best to provide the North with enough supplies for the War you are so intent in fighting. The northerners, however...I cannot see them bowing to a Targaryen, not even to Daenerys. ”

 

***

When Sansa entered the chambers she shared with Lord Willas, she saw her husband holding a piece of parchment. He was so focused in the document, he did not answer her the first two times she inquired about its content.

It was only when Sansa gently touched his face that Willas came out of his trance: “ The Iron Fleet are attacking the western shores and islands and The Reach should be a target. The Whore Queen still holds part of our troops and is unwilling to allow our men to defend our borders. My father refuses to leave King's Landing before Margaery is absolved and nobody knows if Loras is dead or alive since he tried to take Dragonstone back from the Dragon Queen. I must leave at once, Sansa.“

The thought of Willas being absent for their baby´s birth was very upsetting. Maester Wolkan estimated she had two more fortnights to endure. Sansa suddenly felt weak, but managed to sit before fainting. _Willas has a duty to his bannermen and to his House. He cannot stay._

Sansa would never forgive Lady Olenna for using her as a pawn in the Game of Thrones, but Willas was cut from a different cloth than his family. She thanked the Old gods and the New for Sandor making the right choice in her place, for convincing her of accepting Willas. Sansa loved him, not as she had dreamed she would love her husband, an all consuming passion that would be sung in songs to the end of the days, but it was the kind of quiet, sincere love that helped heal her heart after so many tragedies.

“Oh, Willas...I apologise. Yes, of course, you must leave.” Sansa offered her hand for Willas to help her out of her seat after she had recomposed herself enough; she meant to help her husband prepare for his trip and there was no time to waste.

“It pains me that I will not be here, you should know that…” Sansa was about to suggest she actually joined Willas when she felt a wave of water pouring out of her.

“Call the Maester, Willas; it seems you will meet your son or daughter before long.”

Alester Tyrell was born eight hours later, a strong but small baby with brown hair and blue eyes. He nursed for two hours straight and slept another five hours. Sansa was tired but kept vigil, mesmerized by the sight of the rosy cheeks and perfectly crafted Tyrell curls. Willas also could not take his eyes off his son, but had to leave his family behind in order to guarantee that they would have a Keep to call theirs : “You made me the happiest man, Sansa. I was leaving already feeling defeated and unhappy. Now I regained my strength. I will not let Father and Grandmother destroy our child´s fortunes so margaery can be Queen. This farce will stop. If The North will bow to Daenerys Targaryen, I will make sure The Reach will follow suit. House Lannister has brought us nothing but sorrow. “

Sansa kissed her husband and silently prayed there was still time for House Tyrell to atone for its sins. “Make haste, Willas. Cersei Lannister will never allow Margaery to be Queen as long as she draws breath.”

 

Willas left to White Harbour the next morning, his wife´s words ringing in his ears.

 

***

Lord Howland Reed was the last Northern Lord to arrive at Winterfell and he took a sit in the High Table, as the good father of the present Lord Stark, Brandon, who remained silent for most of the meeting.

Houses Umber, Glover and Manderly were resisting the idea of dissolving the Northern Kingdom, with Lord Manderly suggesting all their problems would be solved simply by naming a “ capable Hand of the King”, the implication being himself the man fit for the job.

Houses Ryswell and Dustin were only interested in another kind of succession, namely the one for the now extinct House Bolton. They were, of course, refused and reminded that there was a war to come and those lands would be given as reward for bravery in the future.

Jon Snow had much to think about and Northern politics was proving to be more complicated than he cared to admit. _And they complain and think themselves better than the southron Lords; They are Lords for a reason, and the reason is that they want what is best for them, damn the consequences._

The exceptions, of course, were Houses Mormont and Reed, loyal to House Stark until their last breaths; Lord Howland and his daughter were discreet in approaching Jon : “ I have not been to the crypts yet and would like to pay my respects to the dead, would you care to take me, Lord Snow?”

Howland Reed presented Jon with Robb's will, where the last King in The North had named his bastard brother his heir. “As you can see, Lord Snow, this document gives you a claim to the Northern Kingdom. ”

“My allegiance is to Queen Daenerys Targaryen; if I am King in the North, she shall be Queen in The North as well. Do you think those Lords will accept that? Besides, the Northern Kingdom is a lost cause, we agreed on that.”

Lord Reed had lost a son to the only war that matters; he cared little about petty complaints and discussions over lands and borders: “ You are half dragon yourself, Jon. She is your family and nobody is asking you to renounce what binds you to her cause. Robb´s will should end the squabbles and The North will finally start preparing. Nobody needs to know the truth of your parentage, at least not now, or be told we aim to unite with the south, for their grains and resources. They just need to sit and obey their King. Their King needs a Queen and instead of an Umber girl or a Manderly, you are free to unite you claim to your aunts.”

In the past , Jon had felt guilty for wanting to become Lord of Winterfell; just by losing his life had he overcame his foolish, childish inhibitions. Now, Howland Reed was offering The North a chance of survival and Jon the opportunity of becoming Daenerys true equal instead of a Consort.

 

***

The ship that was supposed to carry Arya Stark, Ser Barristan Selmy and two of his meereenese squires to Kings Landing had encountered more problems than expected.

“They say the waters south of Duskendale are too dangerous; war is ranging from there to the Sunset Sea.” Ser Barristan announced. “We are to dock at Saltpans.”

 _Saltpans, where I left the first time._ Arya did not like that; she had ran away from the Riverlands and she would now be back. Cersei and The Mountain were on her list; what there was in Riverlands that would interest her?

_Freys._

Ser Barristan was visibly shaken by all the destruction; he had returned to save Westeros but, for him, it was like there would be nothing there to save.

They had horses, provisions and were well equipped. The bandits that tried their luck had been dealt with. By a sennight they neared Harrenhal, where the progress of Daenerys liberation campaign started to be felt; Dothraki were cleaning the lands of Lannister´s loyalists and, Arya noticed, taking blond haired women with them.

Ser Barristan knew their commander and made some inquiries; as it turned out, the women with the bloodriders were not war trophies, but “war wives”, women who had lost family and home to the war, seeking nothing but strong men that could protect them from harm. Some were even camp followers that had their status suddenly changed; it seemed that the Dothraki made no distinction and were all too happy but to have as many wives as possible.

Arya was furious: “ They are known rapists, Ser Barristan. Her Grace had them commit to not rape and sack on Westeros. They should be tried and executed.”

The old knight knew that years of civil war would change people's perceptions; the riverlanders had been raped and pillaged by their own neighbors from the Westerlands. Their women simply chose to go with the brown skinned men that had killed their tormentors. For those women, the Dothraki were valiant knights and the western knights, were the true savages.

“ You are free to speak with the women, Lady Arya. I doubt the Dothraki would disobey their Queen, but they gladly take what has been offered.”

Arya returned half an hour later, said nothing and they continue their trip

Ser Barristan hoped to meet Daenerys, who was crossing the Realms on dragonback, sooner better than later: “ Now we wait, Lady Arya. The Queen should arrive and meet with her war council. Lord Tyrion and Ser Jorah are on their way. They met with Aegon Blackfyre, who is to siege King´s Landing. I am against the idea, Lord Tyrion´s idea and I intend in advising Her Grace to leave King's Landing as the last piece of the game.”

Arya agreed; sieges are brutal to the civilian populations. Soldiers, at least, are trained and armed for combat. Tyrion Lannister knew very little of war to be the one planning it.

_But if Queen Daenerys agrees with Ser Barristan, as she should, I might not be allowed south. Mayhaps I should go North and visit the Twins._

Arya left a note for Ser Barristan and another to Daenerys, reminding the Dragons Queen to “ trust no one.”

 

***

Three days had passed since she left Harrenhal. Arya was happy with her progress:  travelling light was faster. The lands were being pacified, but the smell of war and death was still everywhere, charred meat and decaying bodies in such close proximity that reminded Arya of her second time around those lands.

The Riverlands were her Lady Mother´s home, but Arya never knew the peace and quiet that Catelyn Tully had known when she was her daughter´s age.  

Riverlands, for Arya, was chaos, fear and dread.

Nearing the Inn at the Crossroads made Arya think about the friends she had left there. _More likely, the ones that abandoned me._ It still hurt her, to be reminded of how she begged-begged- for Gendry to join her.

Despite everything that had happened between them, Arya still considered both to be her friends.

She had matured and grown the past years. Although it had been the wrong decision, it was one that made sense to Gendry and Hot Pie at that time. Had they left together and travelled with Sandor Clegane to Braavos, Arya most likely would not have joined the House of Black and White, and her revenge would never be hers.

Like everything in the Riverlands, the Inn had seen better days. Children were everywhere. _Orphans._ Some Dothraki were sitting at a table, trying to learn the Common Tongue from their “war wives”. She smiled at the sight when she heard a voice behind her:

“Arya Stark!”

“Hello there, Hot Pie! “ The fat boy almost left the tray he was carrying fall, before he went to hug his dear friend. “ I see that you have been busy!”

“Arya, I should have left with you! We had so little to eat, left alone anything to bake! The Brotherhood without Banners took hold of this place, but we have been attacked by stranglers so many times...a miracle we survived!”

“I am glad you did, Hot Pie, but I thought Ser Gendry would protect the place…”

At this, Hot Pie smiled: “ Wait until he sees you, Arya. You are so pretty now! Sit here, I will call Gendry for you and bring something to eat.”

It was like being hit by a hot wave; Arya felt her face getting red. Suddenly, she wished what Hot Pie had said- that she was pretty- was true.

Because Gendry Waters was even more handsome than Arya remembered.

“Arya! I cannot believe you are here!” _Is Gendry crying? “_ I am so sorry, Arya...I should never have left you go. You were right. I will never forgive myself for staying behind while you went with that man, but mayhaps it was for the best, because you are here, safe and sound!”

After Hot Pie finished serving the Dothraki- Arya noticed that her friend had even learned some words of their language- he sat with both Arya and Gendry.

Gendry spoke about a corpse they called “ Lady Stoneheart” that was now leading part of the Brotherhood; he was indeed a Ser, but made so by the power of the Red God, not the Seven.

Arya disliked his association with such blood soaked religion : “ This Lady Stoneheart is an abomination for what you said, resurrected by the Power of magic, not by a God. “

Gendry lowered his head, then looked uncomfortably to Hot Pie. “What? Did I offend you, Gendry?”

“No, Arya, it is not that.” he said with sadness. “ They say Lady Stoneheart is actually you Lady Mother, Arya.”

 

***

“Where is Arya Stark?” Daenerys demanded of Ser Barristan as soon as she arrived for her war Council at Harrenhal. “ I was informed you could not reach King´s Landing and considerd the mission aborted due to safety reasons. Arya was to be here, Ser Barristan!”

“Your Grace, the girl left to go North three days ago. Rakharo found her at the Crossroads Inn and she was fine. In the company of orphans and friends of old.”

Daenerys read the note Arya had found her and seemed satisfied with the explanation that it provided her. “ Regardless, in time of wars a Lady like Arya, as fierce and trained in armas as she is, cannot be allowed to roam without an escort. We should send one of your squires and a couple of bloodriders to join her.”

Ser Barristan nodded: “ Wise decision, Your Grace. “

An hour later and Daenerys met with her allies and advisors. Aegon Blackfyre and Harry Strickland were in attendance representing Dorne and the Golden Company respectively; Lord Tyrion Lannister as the, so far, in name only Lord of Casterly Rock; Rakharo of the Dothraki and Grey Worm of the Unsullied, as Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah Mormont.

Tyrion presented his plan: to take Casterly Rock through the cisterns using a force of Unsullied soldiers and to have the Golden Company and Dornish spears surround King´s Landing and siege the city: “ The Capital cannot withstand a dragonfire attack. There are cachets of wildfire beneath the city, it is too great of a risk. “

“While taking Casterly Rock this way would give us an advantage, I disagree with Lord Tyrion regarding a siege; starving already starved citizens while the nobles are protected in the Red Keep would be cruel and make you unpopular, Your Grace. The Dothraki are doing extremely well in riding the Riverlands of the Lannister Forces and the locals are grateful. I propose we continue to march in all directions and leave the usurpers with King´s Landing and King's Landing only. “

Daenerys could see the reason for both plans: Lannisters and Tyrells were at odds and a siege might be what would finally convinced The Reach Forces into leaving King´s Landing, but if they were to insist in supporting the boy Tommen for pride, Daenerys would be forced to starve the population she hoped to liberate.

“While in the North, I learned about the Faith Militant and the losses both Tyrell and Lannister´s armies were facing in taking Dragonstone. There is also talk of an impending attack on The Reach by Greyjoy forces. Lord Varys, do you have any information relevant to share before I make my mind?”

The Spider was sitting on a chair and mostly silent; he was no man of war, this thing was clear, but Daenerys wondered whether his “little birds” were still singing: “ Cersei Lannister is not yet defeated, Your Grace and it would do you well to remember that. There are ways of breaking the alliance with House Tyrell that could be explored. Lady Margaery is in the hands of Lord Randyll Tarly, awaiting trial. Her marriage with the boy is, obviously, unconsummated. Cersei Lannister, for what I heard, continues to make no friends by not allowing the Tyrell's troops to return to their homes and defend their own lands.”

A map of Westeros had been placed over a table. _Aegon and the Golden Company now control the Stormlands. We cannot leave the area unattended, but we must go forward._ “Cousin, do you think it is possible to hold your position in the Stormlands, while advancing towards the Crownlands without jeopardizing what you have accomplished so far?”

The young man thought so: “ We do not encounter any resistance anymore, Your Grace. Without a leadership, the Storm Lords turned to us. “

“Good. You have the sword, Aegon, and you shall have my leave to tame Viserion the next time we are to meet, which should not be that far. “ _We cannot reach the western coast, but we have control of the riverlands south of Riverrun. It should be possible to reach the Westerlands and, at least, stop their troops from advancing.”_ Grey Worm and Ser Jorah, Pinkmaiden is ours. There is no other way to reach Casterly Rock if not by land while the Greyjoy Fleet is undefeated. I need you to go as far as Golden Tooth and hold it. “

 _House Tyrell is fickle, but they clearly worry about their own; while Lord Tyrell tries to save his daughter, as he should. we must try to save his people. “_ Ser Barristan, you will lead Dothraki and some Dornish spears into The Reach, providing them support to retaliate the Greyjoys. I wish to have Dragonstone back in return to my assistance; hopefully, it will be enough to make Lord Tyrell see reason and abandon King´s Landing. We should strive to isolate Cersei Lannister and defeat Euron Greyjoy. I hope we hear soon from Lady Asha.”

“What should I do, Your Grace?” Tyrion Lannister asked in ernst. He had battle scars to prove he had fought before, but Daenerys somehow doubt it he would be an asset in the vanguard.

“You are our Lord of Casterly Rock, but for now, you must stay at Harrenhal and assist our Castellan, Lord Varys, in keeping our defenses in the Riverlands. I would send you to the Westerlands, but they might take offense at you attacking your own. Now I must take my leave, my Lords, for I will fly North. “

 

***

Jon Snow, King in The North, had cleared his solar to have a private audience with his ally, Queen Daenerys Targaryen, claimant to the Iron Throne.

As soon as they were alone, Jon went in for a kiss; Daenerys stopped him halfway : “I leave you for some days and when I return, I find that you made yourself King.” Daenerys mocked indignation and continued to refuse Jon´s advances. “ Not only that, but you have retrieved one of our Families most treasured possessions.”

Jon´s first act upon seeing Daenerys in the Great Hall was to give her dark Sister in front of all the Lords and Ladies of The North. “I return the sword that rightfully belongs to House Targaryen .” he said solemnly to an stunned audience.

Daenerys calmly accepted the gift; Jon offered her his hand, which she took it and sat with him, at the High Table. “ I accept the gift as a gesture of good will, Your Grace, and I hope it means that The North will stand House Targaryen once again and that we will fight together and defeat our enemies, both the ones made of flesh and the ones made of Ice.”

Daenerys was still under the shock of Jon´s sudden rise; he tried his best to put her at ease, but it was obvious that they needed to talk before she was to allow him any liberties: “ I was gone for not even a fortnight, Jon. How did you manage to achieve so much?”

“The things I do for love, My Queen. “ Daenerys was trying very hard to hold her laugh. “ You simply cannot leave me alone for too long. I will not allow it.”

“Jon, imagine what you could do if I am gone for two fortnights? I would return and find the Seven Kingdoms pacified, I´d wager.”

Jon then explained Daenerys how Lord Reed had arrived with his late brother´s Robb's will. He had been named heir, since Robb believed their brothers were dead, Arya was lost and Sansa was to be married to Joffrey. Robb´s wife was left behind in safety and they spent very little time together to produce an heir. Lord Reed and Lady Meera saw Jon being accepted as King as the only form of uniting The North to face the real war.

“Besides, a Queen should marry a King. We are on equal footing now, I ´d hope. You should know that my being a bastard without lands and titles, despite being a dragonrider, that many Lords would take offense on our marriage. Now nobody will dare say a thing.”

Daenerys knew what Jon said was true; westeros was still a place where prejudices dictate great part of people's lives. She had already allied herself to a known kinslayer and a exiled noble from a bastard line. Not to mention that she was a woman, trying to claim a Throne that had known no ruling queen as of yet.

“Marry me, Dany.”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before leaving comments:
> 
> Again, criticism is welcomed, being rude not. There are some users ( always the same ones) that follow my story, read the chapters, just to leave spitful comments.
> 
> If you cannot write in a respectful manner, I will delete it. Why? I can handle criticism pretty well, but not people that keep coming back to insult me or my intelligence.
> 
> I will explain like you (trolls) were children: if you get invited to a person´s home for dinner, you may tell your host that you enjoyed the dessert, but that the pasta was a bit overcooked. What you cannot do is yell at your host that he has no right to cook because he sucks at it and that you are tired of his presence. The host is perfectly in his rights to show you the door and request you not to return.
> 
> The same applies here: this fic is MY space. You are a guest. You have the right to tell me what you think I did wrong in a respectful way. I will not allow you to scream, insult and tell me to stop. You are the one who should not be reading, if the story is so vile. Nobody is forcing you.
> 
> I am taking this measure of deleting trolling not because of me. I read one story that I found the plot to be very good, but the author was obviously not very skilled. Well, at some point, this author just said it would be giving up and stop writing fanfiction altogether because of people invading the comments section and telling the story sucked. Despite some e actually trying to support the author and were very sad at what was happening, this author stoped writing and developing the skils because of rude and mean spirited people. 
> 
> This is for everyone: do not mock, be rude or troll fanfiction writers. If you dislike the work, do not read it.


	19. Marriage in the North; Marriage in the South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys and Jon marry in haste but tragedy reaches them in bed.  
> Oldtown and House Tyrell fall;  
> Aegon Blakfyre gets a dragon and  
> another marriage happens at the Red Keep.

_As long as I am nested in his arms, I will never be cold._

The announcement was made the day before, at the Great Hall of Winterfell.

Simple, short and not open for discussions. A King's command:

“Houses Stark and Targaryen will end their dispute now that Winter is come; My Queen is Daenerys, now and always. Tomorrow, we will be wed.”

The snow did not stop falling and covered the Godswood all in its white beauty; Lord Tyrion Lannister had also advised Daenerys to marry in a Sept, for political reasons. The Seven Kingdoms majorly following the Seven, the claimant to the Iron Throne had to keep pretenses, despite not being raised in any particular religion.

The Knights of the Vale had their own chapelan and he was the one that performed the ceremony in the small Sept of Winterfell.

The feast was not by any means majestic; the food was enough to sate everybody's appetites, but not particularly extravagant. Wine was served in huge quantities as Lord Willas had left more than enough barrels in the cellars.

The bride being the widow of a Dothraki Khal and the groom, a man that everybody knew had spent time among the Free Folk, made the bedding ceremony seem unnecessary. Jon and Daenerys simply walked from the High table to their shared chambers to consummate what already have been consummated many times; Lady Sansa made sure the celebration continued, many of the Knights present knew how to play instruments and the night was filled with music, if not laughter.

“I do think our wedding was beautiful; at least, nobody died.”

Jon raised an eyebrow; The North still remembered the Red Wedding, Daenerys was not possibly speaking about such tragic event this lightly :”My love, if you are referring to Lord Tully´s wedding is…”

“Oh, no, Jon! I was speaking about my first wedding, to Drogo! You see, a Dothraki wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair. My own was particurlaly blessed…”

It was the middle of the night when somebody knocked on their door; newlyweds were permitted the luxury of sleeping until late. This only meant that something terrible had happened.

Daenerys started to dress and Jon went to open the door, wearing his breeches.

“My Lord, what happened?” Jon asked his main supporter, Lord Reed, who was holding a letter.

_Lord Willas perished defending Oldtown from the Ironborn; The Great Sept of Baelor exploded, killings thousands in the vicinity, among them Margaery Tyrell, Tommen Waters and many other nobles. Cersei Lannister sits on the Iron Throne._

 

***

“Sansa! Sansa...you need to leave! You and your baby...he is the last of the main Tyrell line. We are going to war and we would be at peace knowing that you are in Braavos, with Sandor Clegane.”

She was in shock; although she had been the only one to try and alert people about Cersei Lannister, Sansa never thought the whore of Casterly Rock to be that bold. With one move, she eliminated all her opposition- her own son notwithstanding- and kept the only thing she held dear with herself: the Iron Throne.

_Willas died valiantly. Like a true Knight; he was the one Father had wished me to marry. Brave, Gentle and Strong._

Daenerys was trying to console Sansa, but she knew the only thing that would truly bring Ned Stark´s daughter peace was to end the war south, save the land her son one day would rule and keep  THe North together.

“Lord Manderly, we need to start preparing the evacuation of women and children. King Jon and Lord Stark believe The Wall will not be able to hold it any longer and we only have supplies for a year. I am moving part of my Army North; there will not be enough food here to feed us.”

Jon agreed the situation was dire; The main port of The Reach in the hands of the Ironborn meant that The North should not expect grains to arrive. If they were not going to die from cold, they would starve.

“Her Grace troops managed to liberate Dragonstone. It was the best wedding gift we could have wished.” Missandei had sent them a raven, also confirming that Ser Loras Tyrell had died from his wounds. They did not meet any resistance; the men Stannis left knew Shireen Baratheon was in the North, with her late father´s allies. “The island is the perfect place for our women and children to take refuge. Our defenses are strong, there is enough grains in storage and, most importantly, the White Walkers do not sail.”

Lord Manderly and Umber were entrusted with the task of arranging the transportation of civilians to and from White Harbour, and their King was clear to mention that he also meant some of the Free Folk should be saved from the iminent, their lives and destinies mattered enormously to Jon.

Sansa was only able to speak in the morning after; she had not slept a minute. Maester Wolkan had offered sweetsleep, but she did not want to drink it. There was a lot to be done and Sansa wanted to be making some decisions too. “Rickon is also not staying at Winterfell; I assume Shireen will come with us to Braavos; her position is similar to my son´s and being so close to King's Landing would only entice Cersei to try and take us by force from Dragonstone.”

Jon nodded : “Yes, the Lady Paramount of the Stormlands is joining your retinue. She will continue to be your foster daughter, as long as you wish the arrangement to continue. Ser Davos knows the whereabouts of Edric Storm and Shireen has requested his cousin to be brought to safety too. It is the only family she has left.”

Daenerys went to tell Sansa that Highgarden was secure; Ser Barristan Selmy was there and would not leave until his Queen would command him to. She would need the experienced knight South with the Dothraki; Ser Jorah and Grey Worm were better suited to the fight that would take place North.

The issue now was to guarantee safe passage through the Narrow Sea; Daenerys feared that Euron Greyjoy would not stop, now that he had emerged as victorious.

“I went to speak with Lady Asha Greyjoy and she had to agree to all my terms. Nobody knows where her wretched brother went and we cannot spare men to go in search of what has been left of Theon Greyjoy. Their uncles managed a great victory; what is left of the Redwyne Fleet is now in their hands. What would you do in their place?” Daenerys asked Jon and Sansa.

 _Cersei has no ships, but sits on the Iron Throne._ “The enemy of your enemy is a friend.”

“It is settled, then; we need Asha Greyjoy to take command of part of our Armada. It stands to reason that an Ironborn would know how to defeat another. “ _Yet, Tyrion Lannister has not been capable of foreseen his sister next move._

Jon knew very little of Euron Greyjoy; he remembered Theon would not speak too much about this uncle, calling him “ mad”. They could not afford to lose their time reasoning with an insane pirate; the war south needed to be won at all costs, or at least, to be on a standstill of sorts, as Winter would only end with the White Walkers total defeat.

 

***

Arya acceptance of Gendry had not be free of conditions and, while the young man had accepted it all without question, she knew the moment he would learn the truth about who she really was, that things would change.

She did not want things to change.

Arya was five and ten; she still did not care for dresses and beautiful things, but her body was of a woman now. She had seen the world and observed it with keen eyes; not all women were the same. Braavos had courtesans and ladies, but also women that owned shops, artesans and even a couple of bankers. Everywhere Arya looked, women were left behind, to fend for themselves while men were killing each other. Some had even took to arms; Arya just happened to be one of them, she reasoned.

_No, I am much more._

She had told Gendry they were going North, implying she meant Winterfell when in true, Arya was preparing her revenge on House Frey. _No, not revenge; Justice. God's Justice._

For all that Arya knew, the uncle she had never seen before, Edmure Tully, was still locked in a dungeon, as some northerners and riverlanders. She was now torn; would she tell Gendry a half true? That she wished to free her Kin and the men still loyal to her House from captivity? Or would she speak about her training, her new skills as an assassin?

_Gendry does not need to know; at least not now._

“What is the plan, Arya? We cannot simply kill everybody inside; there is only two of us here. You refusing to ask for the Brotherhood´s help…”

Arya spat: “ Mother died, Gendry; this...abomination you spoke about, she is not Catelyn Stark, do you hear me? The Gods I serve do not recognize a walking corpse as a human being. If much, the Brotherhood dessecrated my mother's body. “

Gendry managed to get work in the Castle; many or the skilled men had been sent to war. Arya would meet him every night, in the servants quarters. She was working on the kitchens and, although nobody there would have recognized her, Arya decided to have a different face.

“You are the new girl.” the old man Frey said, already lusting after new meat. “ You are to serve me supper tonight, girl. It is a big honour; you should wash yourself before.”

The most excruciating part was not killing lame Walder and Black Walder; or even extracting enough of their flesh and fingers to make the filling. Arya was discreet; it had happened very fast and very quick. There was no screams; it was almost impersonal. She had attracted them, one each time, outside the Castle, promising that her maidenhead would be given to them first. The thought of having first night rights, beating their father at least once, was enough to make neither question why a pretty girl would willingly lay with them.

Arya hated cooking; she used the dough recipe Hot Pie had taught her; even a man as vile as Walder Frey deserved a good last meal.

Yes, baking was definitely the worst part.

“Come here, wench; mayhaps tonight you will get to become mother to another Frey; I take care of my bastards. I love my Family.”

Arya sat at Walder Frey´s lap; his hand immediately went to knead her breast. She started to feed him the pie. He had terrible breath; almost no teeth. Arya decided she would not be killing his daughters and wife; having a father and a husband as disgusting as this man was enough punishment for being a Frey.

The Lord of the Crossing started to choke; a huge chunk of a finger got stuck into his throat.

Arya pulled her face and smiled.

“It seems you need help, my Lord.” She pulled a dagger; it would be fast and she had no plans of lingering, but this did not preclude Arya from having her vengeance. “ I am Arya Stark. Know that I will kill every Frey that matters; your name will disappear. Nobody wants to be a Frey, my Lord. You are ugly, grasping and without honour. Nobody will mourn your death.”

She slit his throat with a single move. Before Walder Frey draw his last breath, Arya started to cut his face.

 

***

Aegon Blackfyre went as far as the Stokeworth lands. He was holding Storm's End in the name of Shireen Baratheon. When the Storm Lords understood the former Princess was safely in the Northern Kingdom, now allied with the Dragon Queen, the few resistance the Golden Company expected to find was gone.

Princess Arianne stayed at Dorne, waiting their heir to be born. Aegon could only marvel at the turn his life had taken; he was raised believing his was the Iron Throne. Instead, everything was a lie. But to the Seven Kingdoms he went, as it had been his destiny all along. Not as a Targaryen, but as a Blackfyre.

Haldon had taught him about the Rebellions; Aegon always thought them senseless attempts at breaking the unity of the Realm. He was proud of hailing from Dragons; black or red, Daenerys had showed she herself did not care. Why would he?

History belonged in the books; Future was being written.

There were some members of the Golden Company that still wished for a Blackfyre to have the Crown. Aegon felt he had been prepared all his life to lead; he knew he could play this role. However, he also felt that most of the Seven Kingdoms saw Blackfyres as a bastard house in rebellion. He had no wish into returning to Essos in exile, just to lick his wounds and prepare for another attempt.

“We stay. There are lands to be given to our men. We are back home. House Blackfyre will continue to exist and my blood one day will be running through the veins of the next rulers of the Seven Kingdoms. I prefer to live the reality. All I want is to establish my House. Her Grace recognizes me as her Kin. This is enough for me and it should be enough for anyone under my Command.”

Prince Doran would also not support another rebellion. The land had bled enough in the last three years and it would bleed even more. House Lannister was being defeated and Justice would be grant for Elia and her children. Why would millions of innocent have to die just to cater for the unreal expectations and greedy of a few squabbling nobles, still holding to old grudges?

Jon Connington stayed behind at Griffin's Roost, saying he would ride to Oldtown, to find a cure for his greyscale. It was a secret only Aegon and Haldon knew. The Halfmaester decided to join the former Hand of the King to The Reach. This was before they learned of the Fall of Oldtown. Aegon could only hope they arrived there, safely and before the Ironmen came.

Lord Stokeworth received the sellswords with shrug. “ Tired of much fighting. Now that I am a Lord, I will not leave the confines of my Keep, nor will I raise my arms to defend a crazy woman. Long live Queen Daenerys and King Jon.”

Her Grace arrived at Stokeworth two days after Aegon send her the raven. She brought Lord Tyrion Lannister with her. The dwarf looked more dead than alive. _They came on dragonback, of course._

“Cousin, it is time. You have proven yourself a good commander; you have my leave to tame Viserion.”

The first step was to get closer to the dragon; Daenerys suggested Aegon to feed Viserion himself. She stayed just long enough to be sure that one of her children would not eat or burn a ally.

“I am flying to Dorne, the only part of the Seven Kingdoms that did not burn all the books on dragon lore. They also managed to kill Meraxes. Now that we are on the same side, Lord tyrion suggested we learn more on how to defend our Dragons. Do not attempt to fly or go to war with Viserion before you are to receive a raven from me, with what I learned at Dorne. My husband is flying on missions to recognize terrain and I myself had not been engaging in the fighting. I urge you to do the same. “

 

***

Samwell Tarly was crossing The Reach with his family. A Black Brother was not allowed to have wife or father children, but Tarly kept reminding himself that he was not married to Gilly and that little Sam was not of his loins.

His attempt at learning something about the nature of the White Walkers and how to defeat them at The Citadel had proved a fruitless pursuit. Knowledge was kept safe from the men who could used it to save the world; the Maesters were blind, deaf and , in some cases, even mute to what was happening in the North.

The worst was when a man with greyscale came. Samwell found a book with a cure for the disease, but was not allowed to treat the man. He knew of the risks; he said he would be more than willing to remain in quarantine- also a way of staying around the separate are where they kept most of the forbidden books and observe the routine of the Maesters that were tasked in guarding said books and scrolls.

But no; he had been denied.

Samwell did the only thing he could; he approached the man´s companion, a former acolyte of the Citadel that went in exile for whatever reason Samwell did not ask. He passed the notes he had made on the described cure and left.

Not before he rather boldly stole some keys and accessed the area he was not supposed to have access to.

Samwell had spent time enough at the Citadel to _know_ what he was looking for.

The next day, they left.

When they arrived at Horn Hill, Samwell heard about what had happened with Oldtown. His mother was beyond herself; Ser Barristan Selmy had joined The Reach forces, despite them not officially had declared for Daenerys Targaryen, and was holding Highgarden in the name of Lord Willas babe, Alester Tyrell.

However her husband and Samwell´s Father, Lord Randyll Tarly, decided to sell his honour and was now Lord Paramount and Warden of the South of the false Queen Cersei.

“My son, go North; swear fealty to your friend. Only a King can release you of your vows. Take Heartsbane with you. Your Father is not worthy of this sword.”

 

***

_Father is dead; Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are dead; Tyrion will die and Jaime is missing. I am House Lannister now. I am my father's legacy._

The Great Sept of Baelor was her Castamere, Cersei thought with herself. Of all the sorrows of her life, this fact brought her a great degree of satisfaction. She was the Lion´s daughter. Westeros finally heard her roar.

The Wildfire cleansed her, gave Cersei courage and purpose. She blamed the act on the faith Militant, of course. They were heretics of the Faith. She claimed they tried to burn her dear good daughter, Queen Margaery Tyrell after falsely finding her guilty of treason against their King and, in their excitement, they forgot about the wildfire underneath.

Cersei had only escaped, she said, because she had chose trial by combat.

Randyll Tarly had only escaped because he was in a meeting with the Queen Mother.

Tommen perished because he was nowhere to be found. Cersei did not know that the High Sparrow had took the boy with him. She had sent Bernadette to bring the boy for a visit, a rare privilege the Sparrow had granted Cersei, when they learned that the King was at the Sept.

It was too late, Cersei knew.

Instead of crying, she went to work. _As Queens do._ Cersei Lannister was her son´s heir; it had not been planned this way, but since it happened, she would not run away from her Duty.

Lord Tarly believed in her word; Tommen's death was instrumental in convincing the few that needed convincing that Cersei had nothing to do with it.

“A horde of savages is attacking the Seven Kingdom, Lord Tarly. The woman who helped murder my first born is married to Lord Tyrell and supports the Dragonswhore and her Pet Northerner. We need to stay together. You are now my Warden of the South.”

It was a great victory and Cersei knew it. Randyll Tarly was the real force behind the might of The Reach.

But a Kingdom as vast as hers needed a Navy. King Euron Greyjoy had attacked The Reach, but even Lord Tarly knew that enemies one day could be become friends the next.

An alliance with the Ironborn was thus forged.

 

***

Cersei Lannister, this Queen, had been a beautiful woman one day, Euron could see. Now, she looked like a harlot dressed in fine clothes. He saw as she ate and drank more of her fill and smiled. The eyes, green as wildfire, were alive; not even the many pounds Cersei had obviously gained, could take the allure of her eyes.

“I came to make my dreams come true, Your Grace. To marry the most beautiful woman in the world. You give me a great honour indeed, by agreeing to marry me, your humble Consort.”

Asha, his niece, had beaten Euron at least in one thing; being in The North, as a captive had worked to her advantage, as the close proximity to Daenerys made of Asha her natural candidate for the Iron Islands.

Now that Daenerys had married the bastard King of The North, if Euron still wanted to have her, he needed to conquer the Iron Throne first.

Fucking Cersei Lannister was no problem for Euron; their wedding night was promptly consummated many times, which made the woman obviously happy.

“I am confident I will give you heirs, Lord Husband; my Maester, Qyburn is very skilled.” Cersei said after Euron had taken her a third time that night.

_If you are to have my child, I shall personally kill it in your womb. Only the Dragon can give me a suitable heir. I will also kill any of the wolf´s seed in her, if she comes to me spoiled._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2018.
> 
> As usual, criticize at your will; no matter what you say, but mattering it how you say. As long as you are able respect me as a human being, I will answer to your comment, whether is a compliment or a very harsh critique.
> 
> Trolling? No, not allowed here.


	20. Riverlands of blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Jaime are in the Riverlands, where important developments are taking place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update this Thursday, to make up for the missed time.
> 
> The fic will end by March, latest.
> 
> Thank you all for reding, liking it and commenting it.

The Twins smelled of death.

Arya had summoned the Freys for a family meeting; there, she proceeded to kill each and every one of them while wearing Lord Walder´s face.

Only women and children were allowed to live, adopting their mother´s name and forsaking the name Frey.

After she finished, Arya proudly declared to the servants that “ House Frey ceased to exist, that they would serve better and fairer Lords.”

Arya then opened the Gates for Daenerys Targaryen´s troops in the Riverlands and considered her job done. Her uncle, Lord Edmure Tully, was now being escorted by a contingent of blood riders to Riverrun and Arya would endly turn south and resume her list before sailing North.

Ser Gendry was of a different opinion. “ Why going to King's Landing now? Have you not done enough killings for a lifetime? Why can't you finally go home, Arya? The things you have done…”

“I would have not done had I not sailed to Braavos.When I wanted to go home, you left me. I could have died, but instead, I learned how to kill.” Arya was tired of this discussion. At first, she had thought to only bring down the three masterminds behind the Red Wedding, only to find she could not possibly allow House Frey to remain controlling the passage to The North. She had sent word to Queen Daenerys and King Jon, advising to separate their lands and incomes, dividing the bridge between North and South. The Tower in the Riverlands would go to a local house and collect taxes from people going south while the other Tower should be granted, Arya felt, to a northerner. “ I am only using my skill to bring peace to the Riverlands. House Frey had to be extinguished for that. This is Justice.”

“Not Justice, but vengeance.” Gendry spat.

“In this case, might as well be the same. I did not dessacrate their bodies, like they have done with my brother...I allowed their children and women to leave the Castle, unharmed and with enough provisions…”

Gendry interrupted. “ ...knowing full well that they might not survive the journey to their new homes when the Brotherhood without Banners is killing any Frey and Lannister they can get their hands on.”

 _Fool...you never learn! :_ “You are free to get on your horse, ride as fast as possible to escort the poor Freys to safety; I am sure you would become a hero in no time, defending the weak and poor, which they now are. It is a pity that you did not think about protecting a child when I was the one alone in the world...mayhaps you finally learned your lesson, Gendry. “

Arya then left Gendry alone with his thoughts. She had to organize her trip to King's Landing and had no time or energy to waste in such trivialities. The war would continue and more children would be left without parents and die if Cersei Lannister was to stay on the Throne.

The false Queen now had a husband, for what Arya had heard, an Ironmen for that. This did not bode well for House Stark. Cersei had to die; the Mountain had to die; Euron Greyjoy had to die.

Arya simply wanted to do the honours herself.

If she, however, thought that Gendry was done with their conversation, she was wrong. “ You should stop this madness, Arya; you are losing yourself in this revenge. Your cousin, Jon, is now King...he married Queen Daenerys. Winterfell is safe, with dragons protecting the Castle. Let them deal with Cersei…”

_ No, nobody is ever safe. _

“Wildfire.” Arya said plainly.

Gendry looked at her in confusion. “ What?”

“Wildfire. House Lannister used to defeat Stannis Baratheon and now, Cersei used it again, exploding the Great Sept. She will never surrender and she has wildfire. Do you think Cersei would hesitate in blowing up Flea´s bottom, in case the city was sacked? She married a pirate; Cersei can lock give the orders and watch half the city and all her enemies burning from a boat; she would return to the Red Keep as nothing had happened. Dragons would only explode the city a lot faster.”

Without a word, Gendry started packing his things.

 

***

Jaime Lannister could not even laugh at himself, at the irony of all, as he was gauged. Lady Brienne of Tarth, the person he trusted the most, was the one to betray him and lead Jaime to the enemy. 

Suddenly they halted; hands came for Jaime and, before he actually landed on the clearance, he heard her sad voice : “I am sorry; they have Podrick and he is just a child…”

Once upon a time, Jaime had pushed a child from a Tower. He was ashamed , of course, as he had not even flinched when he tried to kill the boy. It was either Brandon Stark, or risking his own children being killed by Robert Baratheon, an ugly and ruthless man. After that, Jaime´s love for Cersei was the justification behind all his decisions, the bad and the good ones alike.

A love, Jaime believed, that was reciprocated and beyond reproach. He would have continued to forget about his own vows as a Knight and member of the King's Guard, if not for the revelation: Cersei only used his body and soul to do her bidding. There was nothing there, nothing except the fantasy of pure love Jaime had created. It was only lust and madness, not love.

Westeros was bleeding because Jaime Lannister could not help himself when his sister was concerned.

Lady Brienne, on the other hand...once again, showed Jaime that real knights do _exist._

She betrayed him to save the life of a child; she, the heiress of Tarth, would probably die to save a minor noble from the Westerlands.

Why was she sad? Why was she even apologising?

“You are, my Lady, doing what you must.” It was the only thing Jaime managed to say before he saw.. _.it_.

_ Her. _

The flesh was soft, and the colour of curdled milk, the once beautiful hair, red and vibrant, was a mess; half gone, the rest white and brittle.

Jaime tried to explain himself without looking too disgusted by her sight: “This is not possible...Lady Stark. I sent Lady Brienne to find Sansa...your daughter…”

When Lady Stoneheart covered her throat, one of her followers, a young man who looked like a northerner, got closer to her mouth. Another man, dressed in a strange cloak, interrupted the knight.

“She don't speak. You bloody bastards cut her throat too deep for that. But she remembers…” the odd man said.

Yet...the Lady Catelyn managed to say something; it took a long time, but sounds were being formed, Jaime could listen if he paid attention; apparently, the northerner was able to understand such speech and translated her judgement:

“You still pushed her son from a Tower...you were a traitor to two different kings; the first, you killed...the last, you cuckolded him. You took Ice without question, when a real Knight would have returned the sword to their owners. You are a man without honour, a kingslayer... you sent a woman- one single woman- on an unsuccessful quest to save her daughter ...she thinks this is not near enough. Besides, you are still here, Jaime Lannister, killing riverlanders so that your whore and your bastard son sit on a cold, iron throne.”

Jaime could not deny any of the charges.  _ It was all true, very true _ . He looked at Brienne and could not read her face. Was she ashamed? Angry? Sad? No...it was...disappointment.  _ She thought I was better than I am. _

Lady Stark was still saying something to her translator; everyone else was silent. Jaime looked around and saw the boy, Podrick, and another man, as tall as Brienne, handcuffed and sitting in a corner

“She changed her mind: your crimes are too many...too great for death alone. You are coming with us...there is a wedding you must attend…”

Jaime knew which wedding they were talking about. His blood froze.  _ Oh, cousin Daven is marrying a Frey at Riverrun.  _ The Dragonqueen was fighting in several Realms at this point. The Stormlands were mostly hers, under a Blackfyre of all people and The Riverlands were being conquered, but the Targaryen girl still had to secure it. The Dragonqueen was travelling from Dorne to The North , which meant they would soon be by her side, if they were not already. Jaime had not heard anything about King's Landing in the last sennight since his abduction; he did not know whether Cersei had won her trial or whether she had died. All he knew was that the Dothraki were roaming through the Riverlands and that House Lannister was doomed to lose even more than another Castle.

 

***

Since they were close to Fairmarket, it took only about five days of travel to reach Riverrun. The lands south of House Tully´s ancestral home were firmly on Daenerys Targaryen´s grasp. It was not lost on Jaime how controlling the Riverlands would be a great strategic advantage for the Dragonqueen: if the North and The Vale were by her side, Daenerys would literally isolate the Westerlands and The Reach from Kings Landing, making of the boy Tommen a King of about two and half kingdoms instead of Seven.

Brienne stopped speaking and stayed the whole time by Podrick and the other knight; Jaime could not really blame her.

They halted a day away from Riverrun; nobody would say anything to Jaime, but he sensed they were waiting for a signal.

From all directions, groups of people, old women and men, orphans, maimed soldiers...all the dispossessed joined Lady Stoneheart on her procession. The Castle was taken; the bodies of Lannister soldiers dead by the hundreds, the same soldiers Jaime had seem alive before he took off with Brienne. Jaime realized the smallfolk had been the one to attack the camp; Lady Stoneheart had offered those people a chance to get their revenge and, most importantly, food; everywhere he looked, Jaime saw the poor either looting what they could, in hopes of re selling the very expensive Lannister Armour, or simply cooking and sharing what they had found in the supplies tents.

They crossed the drawbridge and walked into the Castle.

When Jaime arrived at the Great Hall, he was greeted by the sight of his aunt Genna lifeless body by the door.  _ She must have tried to escape.  _ She was, of course, naked; some man had most probably given her fancy dress to a servant or a camp follower tby then, Jaime concluded.

_ Dead. They are all dead. _

Genna´s sons were killed by arrows; Emmon Frey and Daven were being held hostages at the High Table.

The Frey bride, Jaime was told, would live to work as a maid; she would be cleaning the latrines of Riverrun, until Lady Stoneheart had another use for her.

The former Lady Catelyn Stark was a Tully after all; this was her home.

She took her seat of honor at the High Table, Jaime by her side, and spoke to her translator. The man then turned to both Daven and Emmon and asked: “ The Lady wants to know who is the Lord of Riverrun...and who is the Warden of the West.”

Emmon Frey answered he was the Lord of Riverrun. _ Fool; you should have said it was Lord Edmure Tully.  _ Jaime had given orders for the red haired noble to be transported to the Westerlands before he left with Brienne; unfortunately, as he disappeared, someone changed the plans and sent Edmure back to the Twins, for what Jaime had heard in the camp.

Daven, on the other hand, made no reply.  _ My cousin will have a clean death. _ The thought gave Jaime a measure of comfort, especially when they both had to witness Emmon Frey´s execution.

The ugly looking and unhappy mant was gelded, then impaled, wailing and crying all the time.

The translator then turned to Jaime, still in shock of what he had just witnessed, and said :“Our Lady thinks you should kill the young lion yourself.”

Daven received the news with surprising stoicism: “ Your hand is still good enough to slit my throat, cousin.”

No, this would not do; Lady Stoneheart wanted to see something else in Daven´s eyes other than forgiveness, Jaime could fell it.

Once again, the translator first listened, then spoke his lady´s words: “You need to confess your sins now. All of your sins. Ser Daven Lannister needs to understand he is dying not for the glory of House Lannister, but for a lie. You need to apologise.”

Jaime liked Daven; his cousin even looked like a lion with his blond hair and thick beard. He would never want to hurt Daven and yet, he knew that the truth, the whole truth, would break  Daven, as he never believed the rumours; Daven really thought House Lannister was doing the right thing by defending Cersei´s sons right to rule, that Stannis Baratheon had told lies and that Renly Baratheon had sought to get the Throne by all means necessary and usurp his nephews.

The words, somehow, came easily from Jaime´s mouth. “ I pushed Lord Eddard Stark's son through a window because he saw when I was with Cersei. All of her children are mine. By rights, Stannis Baratheon should have succeeded his brother, for King Robert died without legitimate children. I ambushed Lord Stark when I learned Lady Stark kidnapped my brother, a clear break of my kingsguard´s vows; My Lord Father started this war without knowledge that his grandchildren were bastards and the whole Westerlands is still fighting for nothing else than lies. I regret everything. I am not a good man, not the man my Lady Mother raised me to be.”

His words had the weight of truth; when he finished, Jaime felt cleansed for about one second, before he saw the heartbreak on Daven´s eyes.  _ Oh, that is the look Lady Stoneheart wanted from him. _

With all dignity daven could muster, he looked at Jaime one last time and said: “I pray we are not to share the same Hell, Kingslayer.”

All arrows of the brotherhood were pointed at Jaime. He was given a dagger, and, before Lady Stoneheart´s eyes and her men, he slit Daven´s throat with precision, giving his cousin a very fast death.

That day, Jaime knew, would haunt him for the rest of his life.

 

***

Jaime was confined to a cage outside, at the mercy of the elements, being fed bread and water for days without end. He smelled of shit; his gaolor would take him to the latrines once a day, to make sure he was not to spoil Lady Catelyn´s castle with his excrements. 

Now and then, a member of the Brotherhood would come and inform Jaime of the news pertaining his House´s failures. The dragons were flying again and it was only a matter of time; Castle by Castle, all fell to the Dragon Queen, who now was married to a wolf . But,when victory seemed close, something happened; her troops turned south, to The Reach, instead of north, to the Westerlands for what Jaime overheard.

_Why not attacking Lannisport? Why not taking Casterly Rock? Tyrion is behind her...he surely knows how to infiltrate the Castle._

When the translator came with a big smile on his face, it became obvious why Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow had taken this step: “ Cersei Lannister now sits on the Iron Throne. She blew up the Great Sept of Baelor with most of the Tyrells and Sparrows inside. You might ask, why is Cersei on the Throne? Because your son was at the Sept at the time, of course!”

Jaime wept.

It was not Lady Stoneheart who broke Jaime in the end, but Cersei.

The next day, Jaime was informed he had a choice.

“Death or Justice. Stay and we grant you mercy. You lost all your children. Myrcella Hill died in Dorne. You have nothing, not even your fighting hand. If you chose Justice, we clean your wounds, allow you to bathe and provide you with some food. You are already a kinslayer, it should not be difficult for you to kill your sister now.”

Jaime had loved Cersei once. She repaid his love with betrayal and murder.

The choice was obvious. “I choose Justice.”

 

***

Lord Edmure Tully was now used to other people deciding his fate. He did not blame his wife, Roslin, for anything really; mayhaps he blamed himself for being stupid enough to believe Walder Frey would not seek retribution, for not seeing that the riverlord should have never even demanded of his sister, Lady Catelyn, anything to allow the northern troops south, for they came also to defend the Riverlands from House Lannister´s aggression and yes...Edmure also blamed the folly of crowning an inexperienced teengaer King and for mistaking Robb´s military prowess with political savvy.

The end result of many mistakes was a bloodbath; was humiliation and imprisonment; was not even knowing if his child was a boy or a girl.

The worst of all was dealing with the Kingslayer, to help him lift the Siege of Riverrun and deliver his Home to another Frey.

_ At least, the Blackfish managed to escape and the disgusting Emmon Frey demanded I was to be sent back to his hideous Father, desconsidering the orders of Ser Jaime Lannister...if I am to die, better in the Riverlands than at Casterly Rock. _

But Edmure did not die. Instead , he was freed from the dungeons the very next day of his arrival. He walked the Halls of the twins with the other noble prisoners and saw that retribution had came. House Frey was gone and the Twins delivered into the custody of the combined forces of Daenerys Targaryen and, to his astonishment, Jon Snow, the bastard his dear sister hated so much.

All because of Arya Stark.

Edmure only briefly saw the niece they all thought had died long time ago.

Arya was responsible for his freedom, his revenge and his return home.

But this did not mean she wanted anything to do with her uncle. “ I wrote Her Grace and advised her to divide the Twins between The North and the Riverlands...this will ensure that, in the future, House Tully has a firmer grip on at least one of its bannermen. I was told my mother sold me for a bridge...House Frey is no more. Take your wife and child; some bloodriders will escort you to Riverrun. Hold your Castle in the name of Queen Daenerys and King Jon. House Tully owes me.”

Edmure did not need to ask himself what had happened with Arya. _ It was war, starvation, cold...she became hard and harder and now, she is not a child anymore. _ He could not blame Arya for the harsh words, nor blame Catelyn for trying her best and failing.

Instead of saying anything, Edmure just bowed his head, thanked his niece and went home. The other noblemen were also being sent to their castles, given the same orders...Harrenhal was liberated and Edmure was informed that the prisoners there were fred and delivered to their homes on the same conditions. This gave him hope that finally, with dragons flying again, the War would end.

Winter had come; they would probably starve to death, but at least, they would die in their homes.

Roslin would not speak about her family or anything related with House Frey; they mostly talked about their son, named Walder by Lord Frey himself, and what they wanted for their future.

They decided the first thing they would do upon their arrival was to change the name of their son; they were already calling the small bundle in Roslin´s arms " Axel" after all.

When Edmure arrived, he found his uncle, the Blackfish, as Castellan. “ You just missed your...sister by a day.” the old man said in a whisper.

“It is true then, what they say? That a necromancer resurrected Catelyn and that she is now a walking corpse? “

Edmure´s uncle just nodded. “Aye... I helped them, you know? They managed to infiltrate a minstrel at Riverrun, who fooled that fat Lannister woman with his sweet songs...they were busy, pretending to be Lord and Lady of a castle, organizing a wedding...they did not realize I was riding the lands and convincing the smallfolk to attack the Lannister camps and get their supplies, their clothes, anything. It was awful, it was madness, but it worked. We have our home back, boy. “

 

***

Arya had come to prefer travelling light; she hated to think how they had gone south the first time, with that wretched boy, Joffrey and the silly Sansa...oh, it was just too painful to remember, so Arya simply avoided her memories, using work as her shield. “ We need to get some wood for fire, Gendry.”

Although the lands were being pacified, the roads were not yet totally cleared of bandits and stragglers, so they stayed together at all times. Arya was a trained assassin and Gendry, a knight, but they were only two and could be outnumbered; they were not taking any unnecessary risks.

Arya was spreading her bedroll near the fire after they dined roasted squirrel when Gendry came by and announced they were to sleep near each other “ to share warmth”.

There was something in the tone of Gendry that should have alerted Arya to his true intentions, but she, inexperienced as she was, simply agreed with his reasoning. “ Fine, but I get to be near the flames.”

Gendry laid by his side and pressed his muscled body on Arya´s back; she then felt something odd happening with his body.  _ Could it be?  _

“Gendry, are you…”

“It is a normal reaction, Arya...when a man is next to a pretty woman like you.” he said matter of factly.

Arya definitely did not expect  _ that  _ : “Wait...do you think I am pretty?”

“Yes, I do...I always did, but you were far too young and high born for the likes of me.”

She was stunned. This meant that part of the reason for Gendry refusing to follow Arya had to do with him being attracted to her, but acknowledging it was wrong of him because she was only three and ten back then, hardly a woman.

Before she even had time to regret, Arya blurted: “ I am not that young now…”

One thing led to another and they became lovers that same night.

 

***

The next day, Gendry had gone by the river to get water when Arya saw a tall figure emerging from the bushes when she was cleaning their camp.

Arya knew exactly who she was; the clothes, the face, the height. She was his mother, but not the same. 

A young man was by her side and Arya got scared; this meant the Brotherhood was not too far away.  _ Did they get Gendry? Will they try to abduct me? _

Stoneheart must have sensed Arya´s distress; she placed her hand on her throat and spoke to the man; he then turned and addressed Arya: “ She is happy House Frey is no more...but happier to see you are alive. Lady Sansa is also alive, in the North. My Lady wants you to go home. She knows her time has come; her body is too damaged. She wanted revenge and now that she got, she seeks mercy.”

Death was release, was the ultimate manifestation of freedom. Arya believed in the teachings of the House of Black and White. Lady Catelyn was suffering in her present form. She was death; she was dead. Her spirit wanted rest as her body was decaying beyond repair.

The thought of freeing this monster.. _.her mother... _ was too disturbing to contemplate. “Someone needs to do it...painless and quick. Mother, you need to be set free.”

Once again, the translator lent his ears to Stoneheart and was able to make up her words and translate her message: “Do not fret as she already has a person for the job...after Riverrun, the brotherhood is dispersing; our mission has mostly been accomplished. She only wished to see you one last time. She asks for forgiveness, for you, your brother,  your sister...and wants you to have your brother´s crown.”

Whatever mistakes he committed in life, Robb Stark was a dear brother and did not deserve his destiny, did not deserve to have his body desecrated. Arya took the Iron Crown and nodded.

“Go in peace, Mother; we know you were trying to do what you thought it was best... The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

 

***

“Your Grace, a man saying is your brother, Ser Jaime Lannister is at the Gates; he does not have an arm and wears Lannister Armour. “

Cersei wrote her brother a long time ago, asking him to return. The next thing she knew, he had left Riverrun with Lady Brienne of Tarth, passing the command of the Lannister host to Ser Daven Lannister, their warden of the west.

Now, Ser Daven was no more; Riverrun was back in Lord Edmure Tully´s hands and the Blackfish was out , leading the remnants of their forces in killing as many Lannister soldiers they could.

The Riverlands were lost to the enemy and, if not for her marriage to King Euron Greyjoy, Cersei would be completely cut out from her homeland.

The last thing Cersei wanted was to see and speak to Jaime, but still, she was Queen; it was her Duty to hear the reports of her generals in time of war, to know exactly how they lost their battles and to discipline them for their failures.

“For what you told me, it seems he is indeed my brother; please, see that he is brought to me. You are dismissed.” Cersei said coldly; she sat at her desk, writing letters. She had claimed Robert´s solar as her own and redecorated with the Lion of House Lannister.

You would not find any Stag or Seven pointed Star in the Red Keep; everywhere, all one would see was lions, gold and their Queen's personal coat of Arms.

Jaime was dirty from the road and smelled of horseshit; Cersei would not abide to even speak, let alone hear such man. “ Bernadette will show you to your chambers; you will bath and be fed; in two hours time, you are to return to me. Begone now.”

Cersei had no time for failure and Jaime was a failure. Her husband, Euron, was sailing to Casterly Rock. Cersei wanted to get as much gold as she could from the vaults in order to hire sellswords from Essos. The Ironmen were her personal fleet now and she was going to use them. Lord Randyll Tarly, the new Warden of the South, was a capable commander, but House Tyrell was still alive and, with the assistance of Ser Barristan Selmy, the intelligence of Lady Olenna and a heir in Lord Alester Tyrell, safe in the North, The Reach was far from being on her side.

Lady Sansa Stark had the Tyrell Lord in her breast, the Heiress of the Stormlands on her lap and Lord Arryn in her hands.

_ To think I welcomed her into my family...the little bitch. I will get my revenge on her. I will. _

The dragonwhore had married her pet northerner; Daenerys Targaryen went to Old Town, visited the Starry Sept and declared that Westeros needed the support of their Gods to survive Winter. The local Septon was now being addressed as the highest of his Order and had anointed Daenerys as “ Protector of the Realm.” Nevermind that the silver haired slut had never set foot in the Seven Kingdoms before, brought an army of savages to their lands and worshipped a Horse.

_ I will defeat her...I will defeat them all. _

Jaime returned, bathed, dressed in better clothes and looking healthier. “I apologize for my delay, but I was captured by Lady Catelyn Stark, who is as undead as Ser Gregor is…” he said while glancing at Cersei's bodyguard.

“Ser Robert Strong has taken a vow of silence until I am to defeat all my enemies.” Cersei calmly said. “The reports told me you went willingly with Lady Brienne of Tarth.”

“Yes, I did, because she tricked me into believing she had found Arya...but it was a trap.”

“You were a prisoner, then.” Cersei concluded. “ If so, why are you _here_? Lady Catelyn would have you executed without  a trial. Why are you still alive, _brother_?”

Jaime poured a goblet of wine before he answered in a matter of factly tone :“I escaped with the help of Brienne...I was taken to Riverrun and from there, I managed to evade them. They were too busy killing our soldiers and torturing Freys…”

Cersei knew Jaime had escaped the northerners before; she did not see why he would not be able to do it a second time.  _ He was trained by Father, after all...he is stupid, but learned a few things. _

“I am glad you escaped; we need you to lead our troops...Lord Tarly is in The Reach and my husband is now sailing to Casterly Rock.” Cersei announced.

She was happy to see what she understood as jealousy in Jaime's eyes. “ Husband?”

“I married King Euron Greyjoy of the Iron Islands for his ships; he is a simple man, but a great admiral. I needed a Navy, and he gave me one...he will now fetch me sellswords with the gold of Casterly Rock. “

 

***

King Jon received a raven from Horn Hill: Lady Melessa informed him that her son, Samwell, was returning to the North and would join their Cause.

Daenerys, not knowing anything about who Sam was, got suspicious. " Lord Tarly is fighting against his own countrymen as we speak; Lady Olenna and Ser Barristan, as our Warden of the South, are defending Highgarden in the name of Lord Alester Tyrell. I declared the Starry Sept to be the Center of the Faith and restored House Florent to their home. We are firmly on the opposite side of the false Warden of the South..."

"Samwell is a Black Brother, Dany; the reason he joined the Watch was because his Father wanted to kill him in the first place. He is to remain neutral in any conflict and help the North fight the White Walkers. That is why he was at The Citadel." Jon explained calmly and it seemed to have the expected effect, as Daenerys seemed less confused. " If he is returning, it is because he found something that might help us."

Still, there was something behind the message, Jon had to agree. " However, you must be right, in regards not to Samwell´s intentions, but about Lady Melessa´s.  For what Samwell told me of his mother, she most possibly does not agree with her husband´s betrayal."

Daenerys read the message a couple of time and was of the same mind. " Yes and it would not be the first time a wife would disagree with her husband..."

"We have, so far, not disagreed in anything." Jon reminded Dany; she had just returned from the Reach, the last leg of her mobilization tour. They had isolated the Westerlands and King´s Landing, sent many women and children to safety, including Sansa, her son , Rickon and Shireen and now they would be staying at Winterfell organizing the defenses of The North.

"Everything is as fine as could be...but even though The Twins fell and Riverrun is ours, Arya is still in the wilderness." Jon said with sadness.

***

The Red Keep was not the Twins, but Arya Stark had a good memory and was able to find a way in without being detected. Wearing a new face she collected from the House of Black and White, she was able to infiltrate the servants quarters. Only trusted maids, like Bernadette, would serve Her Grace food and refreshments; Arya had to make do with cleaning and changing bed linen.

But the days were passing and no window opening; Gendry was tasked in organizing their escape, by boat, and was staying at Flea Bottom hiding in plain sight. They would meet everyday; a maid and a blacksmith getting together was not unheard of and did not raise any suspicions, but Gendry would never look anybody in the eyes, keep his face partially covered and he even shaved his head, as his black locks reminded people of Renly Baratheon.

Had not been for Gendry, Arya would have stayed longer until she accomplished her mission; but now, she also wanted to live, to love and travel the world.

Staying there any longer would mean that Cersei Lannister could rob Arya of her happiness, of reuniting with her family once again.

So, instead of giving the whore queen a quick death by slitting her throat, Arya had to settle and use a very insidious poison. This one was probably unknown to Westerosi Maesters, as it was a very well kept secret of the Faceless Man. Arya´s order always strived to grant deaths as natural and painless as possible to their targets, but this did not preclude slow deaths obviously.

The poison was to be used as last resort, when an assassin had to escape soon before risking being detected. Arya now thanked her wits for actually remembering  about the strange, thick translucent liquid when she planned her escape from the House of Black and White.

Smallclothes, jewels, dresses...even the Crown were smeared with the poison, which would be absorbed by Cersei´s skin and kill her inside out...her beauty would be gone as many sores would appear over her body. No pain though. In less than two moon turns, Cersei Lannister would be no more.

When Arya finally left the place and boarded the ship with Gendry, as they sailed away she could hear several bells coming in the distance.

_ Did they find the poison already? What is wrong? _

“Gendry, we need to be careful...we need to search this ship, to see if they had not sent anybody after us.” Arya said; she was a good judge of character and knew the tripulation was unaware of who they were really; the sailors and the captain were busy working and had not paid any attention to the bells anyway, there was no reason to suspect when they clearly were leaving the port and going North.

They searched and, after five minutes, they found; a stowaway, hidden beneath the luggage. Not a Lannister soldier, but a Lannister of Casterly Rock. The man who had killed poor Jory Cassel and harmed Arya's father in an unfair fight.

_ Jaime Lannister. _

“Do you have any idea of who am I, of who he is? Do you know where we are sailing to?” Arya asked.

“No…” he answered plainly. “ But if I may guess, you are a northerner and we are sailing to White Harbour. I had no time to choose, when I had to run away…”

Arya looked confused to Gendry for a second.  _ Why would Jaime Lannister run away? Euron Greyjoy is not at the Red Keep… _ ” The bells...are for you? What have you done, kingslayer?”

Jaime had lost his head, that was all. Cersei confirmed she was the one behind the Sept and Tommen...she said it was an “ unfortunate accident” but did not sound unhappy or remorseful about it. She had gone ahead, married for an alliance and would be fighting for the Throne. She was Aerys Targaryen reincarnated and Jaime would have killed her with widow's wail if not for The Mountain.

“My sweet sister was not in the mood for giving me explanations on the death of Tommen...on what she planned on doing with King's Landing if it fell. The Blackfyre boy is at her door; soon they will all starve. Cersei does not care and , before I could do what I did to Aerys, she sent Ser Gregor after me.”

Arya Stark laughed at his disgrace. “ This serves you well, sister fucker, Cersei and Joffrey had always been cunts and you are probably the only one not to have noticed. I am taking you to Winterfell with us. In one piece. You are to await trial there. I am sure King Jon and Queen Daenerys will show you the wolf and the dragon´s Justice. “

She then kicked his head and removed his sword from the belt while he wailed in pain. “ This Sword is Ice. Made for a Lady of House Stark.”

Jaime looked up and  _ saw _ . “ You are Arya Stark...daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Stark.”

“Yes.” she said. “ and I am going home.”

 


	21. Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visitors arrive at Winterfell while Daenerys meets with Lady Olenna.

**NORTH**

 

With the imminent war, the business of transporting refugees to White Harbour and from them, sailing them to either Braavos or Dragonstone, and of hoarding as much supplies as possible was taking much of King Jon´s time and,while he understood the importance of such tasks, he would have prefered to turn his attentions to The Wall.

There was also nobody who could do this job at Winterfell this time around.

Traditionally, the steward and the Lady of the Castle would be tasked with dealing with supplies and the overall day to day management of the Keep. But, in the absence of _both_ \- Lord Poole was presently en route to White Harbour while Sansa had already sailed to safety and Lady Meera was being returned to The Neck with her son and heir to Winterfell, Rodrik Stark- Jon was left with very few options and, not wanting to lose time, he took the responsability upon himself, being assisted by Maester Wolkan.

Daenerys, of course, knew nothing about managing Keeps; she had been raised in exile, ahand-to-mouth existence and received very little of what could be considered a Lady´s education. Except for the brief period she stayed at Winterfell in disguise, Daenerys was simply unlearned in such things. Jon, on the other hand, had been raised at Winterfell and knew the Castle and its servants better than anymore. 

Even though Daenerys would not be helpful in this particular task, Jon missed her. _She is in the south once again; bloody Tyrells, not even in death they stop being a nuisance_ . Now that he was used to have a warm body besides him, to actually sleep in a cold bed was almost unbearable for Jon. _And there is nobody who could ever dare to replace her._ Ghost looked at his Master with sad eyes. _The poor lad  feels lonely too._

“Come on, Ghost...go out...enjoy some hunting...mayhaps you can even find a nice and furry wolf lady to your liking and make some pups?” Jon said in a reassuring tone; Ghost seemingly accepted the suggestion and left.

 _Letters...and more letters..._ Jon had to reply them all because soon the weather would be so bad as to prevent ravens from safely flying. It was of paramount importance that Jon managed to send these reports to The Wall and to some strategically located holdfasts, like Last Hearth and Karlhold, before communications  become virtually impossible.

“Your Grace.” Maester Wolkan entered the solar with a puzzled expression. “ There are people at the Gates asking for an audience. They come from The Reach…”

 _Samwell?_ Jon thought. That could not be possible...it would take another sennight at least for his Black Brother to come so far North from Horn Hill, his last known stop. “What are their business, Maester Wolkan?  and, more to the point, who they claim to be?”

Maester Wolkan replied promplty “Scions from House Hightower...Lady Malora and a Knight that serevs as her body guard.”

 _Strange tidings…a lady travelling so far and without proper escort. ”_ Oldtown was under attack and was sacked by the Ironborn yes, but Daenerys has seen to the city´s reconstruction and House Hightower stands as rulers of that city. They owe their allegiance to us as they already bent the knee to my wife, so I take they are bringing us some message... in this case, allow them to enter...prepare chambers and see that they are brought before me.”

Now that he is King, Jon had to consider every step he took with care. He had long dreamt of being Lord of Winterfell when he was still a motherless bastard being raised among his supposedly true born siblings and, while Robb loved him, he made sure to put Jon in his place, to remind him that Winterfell would never be _hi_ s.

And now, Jon was King because Robb had died and his childhood fantasy had come to life.

Unfortunately , reality was a nightmare, one that included Ice Demons threatening to overrun his Kingdom and the world.

Jon´s duty was to save mankind from the biggest threat to their survival; but men- especially _powerful men_ \-  are feeble minded , greedy creatures that insist on fighting for bread crumbles even in face of annihilation. So, in order to save the Realms of Men, Jon had to agree to become their King and to rule them when all he wanted was simply to become a war general, the Warden of the North and not simply deal with writing tedious letters and receiving dignataries from other cities.

He hated the politicking, the intrigues, the intricacies of power; now that he was married to Daenerys, Jon was being forced to entertain and court favour with people he did not trust, simply because the last thing Westeros needed at that point was to have people joining Cersei Lannister and her new husband, Euron Greyjoy ´s side.

_The enemy of my enemy is a friend indeed._

The woman looked positively _mad_ , which, of course, served as enough confirmation of her identity in Jon´s eyes _. Lady Malora Hightower._ Jon remembered Samwell, a reachman, whispering about the “ mad maid”, _locked in a Tower, reading old scrolls and prophecies_. The knight was a bastard cousin, Ser Leyton Flowers. Jon knew House Hightower was among the richest of the Seven Kingdoms; had this visit been planned, they would have come with a delegation. _They ran away or they were sent  as thus to remain undetected_.

There was no retinue, no handmaidens or wheelhouses, just a middle aged woman and a young knight in armour.

“Welcome to Winterfell, my Lady. We are preparing rooms for you and your escort at this moment; forgive us, but we prepare for war and will not be able to feast you properly. “ Jon said the usual pleasantries and, in this moment, Lady Mallora looked less mad and more like the educated and proper southern lady she was,: she curtsieded properly and thanked for the hospitality.

“ Please, state your business, my Lady; my wife, Queen Daenerys, is pacifying The Reach at this moment, and we now House Hightower has not perished. Why did you leave your homeland then?”

Her voice was _odd_ ; high pitched and nervous and, at the same time, she was very sure of herself, unafraid even. “ Your Grace, we came to join the fight against the true enemy, the only enemy that matters...we came in secrecy, by boat. We were only able to sail  because our ship was very small...there was no room for more of us to come and we apologise for not sending troops, as House Hightower now has to concentrate in another kind of war...but I bring information about the enemy, Your Grace. We mean to help you.”

Jon could see Lady Malora was telling him the truth, but he had learned that innocent people can also be used as weapons, even without their knowledge.  House Hightower, for what Jon knew of their History, was especially secretive and filled with second intentions in the way they played their games. Interestingly enough, Daenerys had brought with her a strange figure from The Citadel, a man called Marwyn, who seemed very well versed in the inner politics of Oldtown and House Hightower.

Jon did not remember how or when he joined in the Queen´s service, but as an Archmaester interested in the arcane, Marwyn was one of the few southerners who actually knew the Enemy was real and had always been real and was seemingly going against his own Order by enlisting in their figh to prevent the Long Night from happening again.

The former Archmaester was now engaged in recovering Winterfell´s library, partially burnt by the Ironmen and Ramsay Snow, and assembling what was left of books, scrolls and parchments. Marwyn confirmed  to Jon that Samwell Tarly  had been accepted as a novice at the Citadel, but doubted that “ he would be allowed to find anything; the world the Citadel is trying to build has no place for magic and, to them, The North is a place of savages...what they know about how the war was won the first time around is mixed with lies, prejudices and exagerations. We must start from the beginning.”

 _Valyrian Steel. Fire. Dragonglass._ They knew which weapong they needed to use in order to kill wights and White Walkers, but they were ignorant when it came down to  _how_ and _why_ those tools were the only ones to work...and, most shockingly, the enemy seemed to have an _agenda_ , a _plan_ , a _goal_ to achieve. They were extremelly powerful, adaptive and secretive; their Army was every growing. No need to rest, eat, or drink; every casualty from their side was an addition to theirs.

In short, Jon knew how to survive the White Walkers, to kill then even, but had no clue how to defeat them once and for all.

_Worst of all...it seems that, whatever they done the first time, did not actually solved the problems, but just postponed its resolution...even if we find out how they have done it...to replicate it will only mean that, eight thousand years from now, The Others will return._

_House Hightower is one of the proudest, richest and oldest of the great houses._ Jon remembered Maester Luwin´s lessons: Hightowers were First Men in their origins, but, after converting to the Faith and becoming their staunchest supporters, they switched from “ war to trade”; their interests also included The Citadel, their patronage and allegiance to the Maesters were legendary.

Archmaester Marwyn, however, saw the official records with suspicion. “House Hightower has Firt men blood, yes, but only by marriage; theirs is a much older and misterious line, not unlike House Dayne, older than House Stark by  some centuries. The Citadel was their first instrument of Power and they saw that The Faith had similar goals so, by building the Starry Sept and paying lip service, Hightowers acquired an important ally. In truth, and in private, some of the Lords Hightower through the centuries kept ties with the Church of Starry Wisdom, or at least, they were prepared to use some of their methods if it served their purposes...their House is built on a pile of black, bloodstone after all. “

With that in mind, Jon Snow accepted the offer of assistance from Lady Mallora while not entirely being convinced of its merits.

***

A sennight after Lady Mallora´s arrival, Samwell Tarly was being welcomed by his old friend and now King in his solar. They had travelled light and fast; Jon had already gave orders for Gilly and little Sam to be fed and given chambers and invited Samwell to join him in a meal after some hours of well deserved rest.

To his astonishment, Samwell was carrying his House´s ancestral Sword, Heartsbane. “ It is as big as Ice was...a ceremonial sword. Why would your Lady Mother give it to you, Sam?”

The fat man lowered his eyes. “ You surely had heard about my Father...who is now fighting our own countrymen in the name of Cersei Lannister _and_ Euron Greyjoy. Mother fears for my brother...for our House. Father had been a loyalist, a true hero once. He fought for House Targaryen and defeated Robert Baratheon . But Her Grace bringing the Dothraki to fight for her...it did not sit well with Father. He dislikes foreigners...mother thinks this will be the end of him.”

“Daenerys would never take away your sword, Sam, but she might deal with your Father, if he does not repent. Do you think your Mother could make him switch allegiances?” Jon asked in ernst; he wanted Daenerys to return North as soon as possible and forget about the silly war in the South, but also understood lives would be at risk if she was to move the bulk of her troops North.

It was paramount that the conflict ended with as little carnage as possible. “ Your Lord Father surely cannot expect Cersei to win...wildfire aside, she has only one Kingdom, some islands and your Father supporting her.”

Samwell took a deep breath. “Jon, you do not know the south; Father is convincing many to join him...the minute some Lords see the Dothraki coming, they will think twice about supporting a Targaryen. Daenerys is far from being an uniting figure where my Father is concerned. My brother would never contemplate questioning my father´s motives.“ Samwell paused and , looking at the sword in his hands, said. “ Mother gave me the sword because, in case they fall...she wants me to be released of my vows by royal decree. “

Jon was sad for Samwell, but war was known to do this: put family member against family member, incite the worst in the hearts of men and women alike. “ We would gladly have you as Lord Tarly, Samwell; but let's pray your Father sees the errors of his actions. The Night's watch would be losing a good man in you...they would need a suitable replacement, of course.”

In Jon´s mind, the situation was clear: either Randyl Tarly would save his honour by taking the Black, or he would die a traitor's death. Regardless of his friendship with Samwell, for Jon, Law was Law ; he knew Daenerys could be ruthless when crossed and in this case, she would be justified.

_Hopefully, Sam´s brother will not do something foolish._

Nothing more to say on the matter, Jon changed the subject of their conversation. “Have you found something relevant during your stay?”

“I brought with me some books that might tell us more...for what I read, though, there are many contradictions. Every corner of the world has a sort of tale about the Long Night and there is always the mention of a hero and men under him, which, all things considered is not much help. Generals do _lead_ their troops, there is nothing new to that. What is remarkable, however, are the symbols behind the fight, common in all tales. This hero has a sword with a special power, and he aligns himself with a magical race and there is a song or spell used to break the enemy´s power. “ Samwell had spent nights reading the texts and to him, they sounded like _stories._ The tales never felt _real,_ possibly because they were second handed accounts, he reasoned, where the characters in it and the events being described had already became legendary when they were put into written form.

Jon did not seem surprised by this lack of success. “ A strange Maester that looks more like a sailor than anybody I ever met had joined Daenerys retinue; he says he has met you. Marwyn, he is called. We tasked him in rebuilding our library, in hopes he finds something. He said that your quest would end in more doubts than answers, my friend, and I see he was right”

“Marwyn is here?” Samwell was now positively convinced that his stay at the Citadel was not a total failure.” I could show him the texts...he might have a different interpretation...see things I did not see. He is an Archmaester, Jon...the best the Citadel could ever hope to produce, but yes...his methods and views are far from orthodox.”

“There is also another visitor from The Reach...the Lady Malora Hightower. She also brought some scrolls...but frankly, she seems mad...she says The Seven should be reincarnated to join the fight. The the Seven Pointed Star has a deep hidden meaning...the Seven were not actually Gods, but vessels.” Jon was no follower of the Faith and now, with what he saw up North, he was not even sure the Old Gods and the Children were benevolent creatures anymore. He could not follow  the God of Fire on the account of his hatred for human sacrifices therefore Jon was , mostly, a man who simply did not believe in religion or the interception of Gods.

He had, after all, died and saw only darkness.

Jon could not help but to mention his own cousin, who had his own sort of knowledge of the enemy : “Bran is a seer, connected to the weirwoods. He had a vision of their Army marching south. giants...polar bears and even Ice spiders, Sam. They are going south.”

Disconnected lines of thoughts ,different beliefs, opposite opinions and crashing methods: it seemed to Samwell that those people Jon mentioned had only one goal and should be placed together, regardless of their personal feelings or affiliations. “ Jon, mayhaps there is not only one hero, as there is not only one answer to the problem. Four heads are better than one. We should be working together as an unit, sharing our knowledge in a team rather than trying to convince you of the merits of our isolated beliefs.”

 _This would at least save me time...I would only have to sit and listen once and not four times_. “You have grown wiser, Sam; come,  there are some people waiting to meet you.”

 

***

The final surprise guest to arrive at Winterfell was not really a guest, but Arya Stark herself.

An assassin by trade, a veteran of war and an orphan, Arya Stark had grown up before her years but, at the sight of Jon, her most beloved brother, she became, once again, a child.

His arms enveloped her; he was now so strong...so different and yet, the same.

Her Jon.

“Oh, sister...how have I missed you!” Jon said in a whisper. “ I am glad you returned home, but it is simply not safe...you must go to Braavos and join Sansa there as soon as you are rested!”

Arya had no intentions whatsoever from leaving, but refrained from saying it out loud; Jon was, after all a King…” I brought you a gift, your Grace!” Arya said as she pointed at Gendry, who was carrying- no, dragging- the _gift_.

“Kingslayer, welcome to Winterfell.” Jon said coldly. “ You will rest from your travels in our dungeons.”

“I would not expect less from the King in The North, your Grace.” Ser Jaime did not look healthy, nor sick; but weary of the world, ready to die. It was like he did not even care anymore.

Jon decided he would use this in the future; he only did not know _how_.

 

***

**SOUTH**

 

Even in deep mourning, Lady Olenna kept her sharp tongue. “ Lord Tarly is trying to take a Castle held by an old Lady, in the name of a suckling babe! Ha! And he thinks he has honour!”

Ser Barristan Selmy was the one actually doing the _holding_ ; Lady Olenna would pass her days mostly lost in deep thought,  hours looking at the portraits of her beloved grandchildren: Margaery- Queen Margaery, as she preferred- Willas, Garland and Loras.

Who could  really blame her for grieving? Cersei Lannister had stole Lady Olenna her future.

Even broken however, Lady Olenna was vicious. “ I hope you are not to offer Lord Tarly any pardon, any deal in exchange for his fealty, Your Grace...as acting Lady Paramount of the Reach, I demand Justice.”

 _No, you demand Vengeance._ Daenerys had recurring dreams of Robert Baratheon, of what she would have done to him and his “family” had she had convinced Ned to raise in rebellion and betray his Liege. _I would also have wanted my vengeance_. _For Elia...For Rhaenys...for Aegon...for trying to kill us many times through the years._

Daenerys had to walk a thin line; she was winning the war, but it would serve nothing if she could not unite the Realm before turning North, to fight the only enemy that mattered. Lord Tarly´s betrayal was motivated by racism, for he hated the idea of brown skinned horselords roaming freely through his lands, and by decades of good service to House Tyrell that remained unrewarded.

 _A dispute of lands where nobody involved actually has rights_ . Daenerys mused. _The typical greed of great lords was the cause of this betrayal and I am the one to deal with it_. Lady Melessa Tarly, née Florent, should have been granted Brightwater Keep by the Iron Throne when House Florent came to support Stannis Baratheon´s bid to the Throne, while House Tyrell chose to side with the Hills of the Red Keep.

Daenerys was being practical; she offered a full pardon for _everyone_ who would bend the knee to her. She would not seek retribution; the new generations should not pay for the mistakes of their fathers, but rather  they should be given a chance to redeem their Houses , to salvage centuries of previously good work undone by unworthy Lords.

For that reason, Daenerys went to Old Town; she declared the Septon at the Starry Sept to be the new Leader of the Faith while King's Landing was not liberated, which made her look more “ westerosi” and less “ foreigner conqueror” in the eyes of the nobles and smallfolk alike.

She also had Lord Alekyne Florent kneel before her and she granted him possession of his Ancestral Home. The man took the deal fast enough and was now awaiting for Her Grace Daenerys to send him a proper bride.

Daenerys had no interest in either granting or denying Lady Olenna´s heart´s desire. “ My Lady, Justice will come to all who wronged me. If I am not mistaken, House Targaryen came for House Tyrell in their hour of need, even though you had sided with the pretenders. Do not mistake my generosity for weakness; Lord Willas was a good and capable man and his son and heir is safe thanks to the efforts of Houses Targaryen and Stark and we will continue to fight to protect Highgarden _only_ because its Lord is half Stark and we need to end this war once and for all.

Lord Randyl Tarly will be given a choice; if he refuses the deal, my Lady, he will face the Dragon´s Justice. Your revenge will not bring your family back. Be content with the knowledge that your line will continue to sit as Lord Paramounts under my rule once this is over. “

“The old fool will not back down...very well then, one way or the other, you will burn him to the crisp.” Lady Olenna turned and asked her maid to grab her some figs.” Would you be so nice as to allow me a place of honour when you are to offer your deal to Tarly, Your Grace?”

Daenerys could only node her head and agree to the request. “ Of course, my Lady.”

“As for a bride for our present Lord Florent...are you accepting suggestions, your Grace?”

As matter of fact, Daenerys was taking this time more to rearrange the pieces on the table than actually making any military advances. Half the Crownlands were hers and the Stormlands were now pacified.

Daenerys was busy restoring Houses and hearing oaths of fealty.

House Darry was the first of her list; she would never forget their loyalty and was a shame that the main brache was extinguished with the war. A younger brother of Lord Raymund Darry had a  bastard boy, who served as page to his cousin and was captured and kept at Harrenhal. Tyrion Lannister had access to the list of prisoners and, upon asked about Darry and any survivors, he mentioned this Rivers cousin. Daenerys called the fifteen years old Jonothon Rivers, knighted, legitimized and granted him a bride in the same day. Lady Marissa Frey was told to forsake her name, which she did, and marry the former bastard, for her mother, Marya, was a daughter of the previous Lord Darry.

In this kind of political maneuver, Lord Tyrion and Varys proved invaluable assets. They had a deep knowledge of the members and particulars of each House and were very keen, as Daenerys was, in rewarding loyalty with lands and titles, while making sure that Houses of doubtful allegiance would be paired with trustworthy allies of Houses Targaryen and Stark.

Daenerys just gave Lady Olenna a cold look; she could not fault the woman for  _trying_...but it annoyed her nevertheless: “ Ser Barristan has a niece of appropriate age; as soon as the roads are safe for travel, he will be escorting Lady Jocelyn Selmy to Brightwater Keep. “

“You are clever.” Lady Olenna said with a smile. “ But you are a dragon; be a dragon! You are now winning, but know that Cersei Lannister is still alive; she is what is keeping you from your Throne and she is not to be underestimated. Say what you will about House Tyrell; yes, we are schemers and yes, we are ambitious...but we played the game by the rules. Cersei no; she _broke_ the rules. Beware of her, Daenerys...of her and the _reaver_.”

As a woman, Daenerys was used at being thought as less; she would never commit this mistake.

Still, being a woman was seen as a weakness by some.

Lord Tarly was one of those.

When he refused the deal offered, it did not matter his reasons; they were wrong and deeply rooted in his own personal perceptions. _This kind of Lord...incapable of placing his feelings above the interests of his House and the common good...is a Lord that will not serve me._

Dickon Tarly was not even seven and ten, but chose to die with the Father he loved and  blindly obeyed. Daenerys knew the flames would burn them instantly; there would be no pain and for that, her face remained impassible and serene.

Lady Olenna, however, was beaming.

 

***

Euron Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands and King Consort of the Seven Kingdoms, was asked to basically sack Casterly Rock by its Lady, an irony that greatly amused him.

Of course, Cersei Lannister sent word and her husband was welcomed at the Rock and its gold, prepared for transportation. But Euron Greyjoy cared little for social conventions and the ways of the Lords. His people wanted trinkets, so he allowed them to get some trinkets from the vaults of the Castle and , since he was there he, went ahead and quickly organized marriages between  two of his Lords and maidens of Lannister blood.

“The joining of our lands should be a sign of Peace and Prosperity...whatever comes in our way, we will defeat them!” King Euron proudly said during a banquet, much to his own bannermen´s admiration and salutes and the polite nods of the members of House Lannister forced to bear witness to such dreadful ocasion.

Joy Hill was forced to marry Denny Drumm, heir to House Drumm and Lord Donnor Saltcliffe took Lady Cerenna Lannister as wife. The brides looked scared, nervous and terribly unhappy with their grooms.  

The Westerlands might be the richest of the Kingdoms, but, in this moment, they reached the lowest point of their history: feasting a pirate, agreeing to insulting unions and watching their Lady basically giving up a huge part of their gold toinvist in a fruitless pursuit: the continuation of a war that was all but lost, to hold a Throne that was not _hers_.

The fall of Riverrun, to many, marked the end of their loyalty: it showed that the late Lord Tywin Lannister, thought to be so intelligent and savvy, went too far and  had indeed broke the Laws of Gods and Men when he orchestrated the Red Wedding.

If before they could all pretend the breaking of Guest´s right had been committed only by Houses Frey and Bolton, now that they were being forced to marry _Ironmen_ ,  deliver their gold and _smile_ while dragons were at their backs, most of the members of House Lannister and surely, the majority of the Westerlands was sure that the price paid for holding that Throne- the destruction of their reputations, the losses of lives and wealth and the hatred of the rest of the seven Kingdoms- was simply too _high_.

When Euron Greyjoy finally returned to Kings Landing, Cersei Lannister threw a fit : “Lord Randy Tarly was defeated by the silver haired whore.” Greyjoy only glanced at his wife; it was much more fun to listen the silly words pouring out of the brotherfuker´s mouth than actually reason with her.

Silently, Euron handed Cersei a goblet of wine and lazily sat in a comfortable chair. She sipped the wine and resumed speaking. “ It is imperative that we hire sellswords in Essos; with the gold you collected, we are in the position of getting as many men as we possibly can.”

Euron Greyjoy had plans; and his plans did not include Cersei Lannister. She was means to an end, something he had to endure for the time being in order to get the real prize.

“I heard about the weddings...what possessed you to take this step without consulting me?” Cersei asked as if he was a child.

“A spur of the moment; both girls were of age, unwed and unhappy in that Rock. I just saw to make them into women. My men needed wives; they needed husbands.” Euron said with a big smile on his face. “ I brought you something.” he poured  a viscous, blue liquid into his wine and drank it before her eyes...his lips turned blue and he hungrily kissed Cersei.

She feared being poisoned and broke the kiss. As she saw that Euron drank more of the liquid and was visibly alive...Cersei relaxed. “ What is this exactly? Tasted...sweet and different.”

“Sometimes I forget you never left Westeros, my Queen... “ Euron said in a secretly condescending tone. “ What you tried is the wine of the warlocks of Qarth...it is called shade of the evening, a delicacy I came upon my travels. It opens your eyes to other worlds and realities...it is lovely.”

Euron once again offered it to Cersei, but this time he handed her his own goblet, inviting her to take a sip.

and she drank from it.

“Good girl.” Euron said while he undressed Cersei; she did not even notice when he took her Crown and placed it on a table, so immersed she was in a fantasy of blood and lust . “ Now, I want to teach you...how to be a good wife. How to please me. “

  



End file.
